Mobile Legends: The Untold Story
by Arcturus420
Summary: "Are you ready, hero?" The Heroes of Old and New converge to fulfill the ancient prophecy... millennia in the making. Will the Light prevail? Or has Darkness enveloped the universe for good? Watch as they fight for honor, peace and love in this unsung tale of the Land of Dawn, and how their stories forged the most popular mobile MOBA game up to date. (Original Concept)
1. Prologue

**Mobile Legends: The Untold Story**

 **Note: All credits to Moonton and the Mobile Legends Community. I do not own the theme and the characters. Under no circumstances will this work be replicated without permission.**

" _ **Whatever negativity you confront, whether it be despair, hate, jealousy, rage, covetousness, sadness or chaos, always remember: Darkness is the Right Hand of the Light."**_

 _ **-Motto of the Warriors of the Holy Light**_

 **Prologue: Prepare**

There was a faraway village, hidden in the mountains, which gave them sanctuary against the impending darkness that could ravage its peace. It was a place not so many know, yet it is one such place not so many don't. It wasn't too flashy, or over decorated, unlike other communities, though its reputation has been spread across the lands.

A young boy had been training in the military stronghold's sparring arena. He was incredibly agile, being able to strike multiple enemies with the blink of an eye. He volunteered in the first place, and everyone was eager to see him prepare for his destiny, even if he isn't entirely sure of what he would come across in the distant future.

The general, Hideki, was watching him, like how a father would take close watch of his son. He took note of his every move, and even he was amazed with the boy's skill and prowess, something he couldn't obtain despite the countless battles he participated in. He was glad that he made the boy train with the spear. Hideki now had trouble keeping up with the boy's pace.

The multiple sounds of striking and slashing on the holographic training dummies quietly echoed around the arena. After a few seconds, all dummies were destroyed, decapitated, or shish – kebabbed.

The boy was barely tired. He returned the overused spear to the armory. "How did I do, sir?"

"Astounding work!" the general proclaimed. "I am proud of you."

"Ah, no biggie," the child replied back, fixing his long, white hair.

Hideki encouraged the boy to get closer to him. He held his hands to the child's and told him this.

"You are granted with a destiny fit for warriors like you. I trust that you won't fail who you fight for."

"I will stand my ground, Sir!"

"You need training. We have lots of time, but it has been running out. We must escort you to go to the Land of the Dawn and keep you there."

The child's curiosity widened. No one told him that he'd need to go to the said kingdom, governed and occupied by peaceful men and elves.

"Why, what's wrong?"

Hideki answered calmly, "Soon, the Holy bonds that restrain evil will be broken. It is only a matter of-"

He was interrupted by the boy's reaction. "Then why can't we end it before it happens? That way, we don't have to worry about anything!"

"It is inevitable. Only the Lords of Order know the location of the Dreadmare Chest, and that information is something we can't just access immediately."

The boy made a brave face. "Then… we need to prepare, quickly."

Hideki placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Everything will happen at the right time, Yun Zhao. For now, we must hope your allies have been doing the same."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Story Begins**

Everything started roughly. It's not as if the world could just change with one fell swoop. It needed absolute preparation. Why don't we start with the land of Eruditio?

Such land was inhabited by humans, though civilizations of other types rarely lived there. However, in the center of the land, there sprang the City of Scholars. It was a typical metropolitan city, occupied by both rich and poor. The full frontal aid for the needy was handled by the governors to raise economic equality in all sectors and forms, making this place have a big role in the upcoming future. In fact, there were a few standout people that live there.

A female elf was working on the underground labs of Zeryph Corps. The owner, Lance Zeryph, was a scientist and engineer with the passion to harness powerful energy to support the land. With care and ease, he manifested Noumenon Energy. So why such lethal energy would be diverted in a steel elf's gigantic KAIROS-42 hammer?

Her name is Lolita. Her original home was ransacked by demons, and she eventually made it to Eruditio. There, she worked with late Master Machinist Dublin Rooney. Due to her astounding efforts, Rooney gave her the hammer, outfitted with the Noumenon Energy Core. This helped her release huge amounts of focused energy and gave her aid to her line of work. She rarely uses it nowadays, but she never forgot what Rooney told her before he left. _You have a wonderful role in the future, my dear elf. Keep your hammer safe. It will protect you._

She was welding mechanical parts for the physical construct of a new battle mech when her close friend Bruno came along.

"Hiya, sis!" He shouted. Lolita was caught off guard and nearly fell off the ladder. She tightly gripped her wrench, fearing it'd cause her to make a mistake on her task.

"Bruno, have you ever thought of NOT surprising me? You can see I am trying to work here."

"Oh, sorry," Bruno replied, with a bored face. "Not much trouble going around Eruditio now. Maybe they fear me too much."

Lolita rolled her eyes, focused on putting up the last pieces of the mechanical puzzle. She remembered when Bruno was taken in the labs, where he got his cyborg enhancements. Since he was into football, the scientists devised a suit which helped him take control of a weaponized energy ball which can fend off foes with one well aimed shot. Bruno was improving, and he became known as "The Protector", a codename given by the citizens of Eruditio who have witnessed him, and by the criminals who suffered the wrath of his holographic football. She knew not to mess with it, since she doesn't want him to tamper with it to know what kind of energy it harnesses.

"I have been noticing it, too. Yeah, we get the benefit of peace, but it feels too quiet now," she replied to him.

Bruno began to do his trademark freestyle soccer moves, due to his boredom. "Yeah, and it has been going on for days. I couldn't find a bad guy in the street. By the way, have you seen Layla?"

"Not yet," Lolita recalled. "She said she needs to take care of family business or such."

"Oh, you mean her and Alucard?" Bruno replied with a slight change in the tone of his voice. "I wouldn't want to mess with him, sis. Have you even recalled the amount of monsters he slayed? Like, tons! Even I can't square up against him, man to man."

"Must be the reason why Layla remains single…" Lolita mumbled under her breath.

Bruno sat down on a nearby working chair and grabbed a donut from the donut box, his mechanical body slowly whirring. "You do know I can hear you, right? Even without my enhancements." He then took a bite.

Lolita sighed. "Alucard isn't really that much of an overprotective brother, you know? It's just that his reputation as the best demon hunter in his clan has an effect with his sister's life. Monsters all around would want to kill him. It's like the best achievement."

Lolita fixed the last wire and dropped down the ladder, wiping her hands on her pants. "There, done! The right leg of this bad boy is finished! Outfitted with carbon chassis and powered by Noumenon Energy. I designed the feet to have boosters on its soles to give it flight."

"What's the name of the prototype mech?" Bruno asked, finishing the last bit of the donut.

"There's no name for it yet, but you should know that those are my donuts, Bruno." Lolita said.

"Sorry, the bakery was nearly out of supplies. The shipment from the Land of the Dawn hasn't arrived yet."

"Hm, that hasn't happened ever since." It was 3:34 PM. The transport was to arrive in 2:30. Lolita knew most of the routines and schedules in the City of Scholars. She was able to memorize them due to the same boredom she was experiencing in certain hours. It helped her guide Bruno in his heroic escapades, and/or purchasing items on sale in the bakery.

"There have been rumors about the kingdom going slightly haywire," Lolita began. "I don't know what's with it. King Estes must have had a hard time in his kingship."

Bruno declined. "Pfft, when did he even have difficulty doing so? The Land is peaceful. It's just us overthinking. Don't worry, I'll buy half a dozen donuts later. Just you wait." He stood up and walked to the exit.

He turned around. "Hey, Layla wanted to talk to you, but since you're busy, I'll leave you be and let her wait for you."

"What? No, I am going with you. We rarely talk to Layla nowadays. And besides, I am done here."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Want to hear Layla's Background?

Well, her family lived in a city that was choked by Malefic Energy, an unstable force which could be nearly as powerful as radioactive energy. It absorbs the oxygen present in the land, so the communities specialized houses and hazard suits in order for them to survive.

Layla's father wasn't just an Inventor. He was also a religious man. He believed the myth of the Great Clash of Good and Evil, and if her daughter has a role in it, he'd better help her prepare.

So, he tried to harness the Malefic Energy into a reinforced reactor core. The core would sustain the instability, but the Energy itself causes more than oxygen deprivation when concentrated in high amounts. After a few weeks of construction, his brain was degenerating… shrinking smaller everyday. The toxicity was affecting his bloodstream, and if he was too late, he wouldn't fulfill his goal. He gave his work to Layla right before he died. Now, she wields the Malefic Cannon, an energy gun which has lethal capabilities on foes.

Layla left the city for good, carrying her Cannon. Bruno found her near the woods of Eruditio and helped her renew her life.

She lives in a B-Class Residential Home, somewhere in Hereford Street. It wasn't too good, but it wasn't too bad, either. Next week, they'd be applying certain adjustments to her home and upgrade it to A-Class.

Bruno and Lolita walked there. It was a quite far from Zephyr Corps., so they were panting when they got to their destination. Well, only Lolita. Bruno's mechanical legs didn't drain his Stamina that much.

"I am glad she's renovating," he started.

Lolita agreed. "She deserves one. She helped tons back there in the labs."

They knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" A muffled voice replied.

Bruno snickered. "Who else could it be, Layla? It's us!"

The door opened. Layla blue hair was tied to a ponytail, and her visor was intact. She was wearing a black hoodie and a blue shirt. She sported shorts and a pair of sneakers.

"What's up?" She said.

Lolita replied. "Um, you wanted to talk to us, right?"

"I only wanted to talk to you, Lolita."

"Okay," Lolita answered, turning around. "Sorry, Bruno."

"It's all right," Bruno said. "And besides, I have to check on the bakery." He sped off. "See ya!"

Layla rolled her eyes. "What's with him and the bakery?"

"Supplies didn't reach in time. I reckon it hasn't been there yet."

The two sat down in the sofa. Layla began to feel nervous.

"I only wanted to talk to you because of something personal," she stated.

Lolita sensed the hint of nervousness. "What's wrong?"

Layla shook her head. "Please, whatever you do, don't tell Alucard."

"Why would I?" Lolita supported. "I am your friend, Layla. I know how to keep secrets."

"Umm, Alucard… isn't really-"

"What?" the elf interrupted. "Isn't really what?"

"He isn't really my sibling."

Lolita was shocked, but she reminded herself to act with caution. So, she whispered. "Wait, what? But I thought-"

"He's my half-brother, Lolita. I've known ever since my father died."

"Half-brother… Then that means you and him had the same father."

"But not the same mother, Lolita. Do you remember the story he told you about him and his parents getting captured by demons? He was a kid back then. He never saw Mom and Dad again. He must've thought both survived and left him there."

Lolita tried to absorb the facts. "That's bad."

"Our father had another wife and lived in the Malefic City. This means we are half-siblings. Even worse, he doesn't even know about this. It could anger him."

"Layla, I am here to help. I can keep this a secret, but not for long. Eventually, we would need to tell him."

"Thanks for the help, Lolita," Layla thanked.

The elf shrugged. "What are friends for?"

Layla checked the time. "It's 4:15. Alucard would be here in 5:00."

The door was suddenly opened by a worried Bruno.

"The supplies aren't here yet!" He said. "The first carriage arrived, but the outside was riddled with claw marks and soot. The goods were gone and the operator was half-dead, bleeding!"

"What?!" Lolita exclaimed. _If I was right, then it's already happening._

"I'll go investigate further. You could come if you like," Bruno continued.

"We're going," The girls said in unison. They immediately stood up, grabbing their essentials.

"The operator is in the nearby med bay in the bakery." Let's hope he's alright," Bruno said. The trio raced to the bakery.

The bakery was a couple of blocks away from Layla house. There was only a bit of commotion amongst the bystanders, but some don't seem to care enough to notice.

Bruno wedged through the crowd, with Lolita and Layla in tow.

"Excuse me, Protector coming through," he told. They made it to the inside of the bakery. The smell of delicious bread filled the air, but the baker seemed to sense much more than the scented aroma.

"Where's the operator?" Layla asked.

He pointed to a gray door, shivering. Not from the cold, but from the fear. The three barged in. What they saw was gruesome, to say the least.

The med bay was designed for near-instantaneous healing, but it was having a tough time reconstructing the operator's body… or what's left of it.

His right leg was nearly torn in half, blood oozing out of it. Same goes with his left arm. His body was littered with scratches which left a light green tint on the skin. The reconstructors were making him regenerate in fast rates, but he seemed to be in tons of pain, acquired from the assault he received.

The room was filled with cardboard boxes containing ingredients. However, Bruno focused on the man.

"Sir, this is Bruno, The Protector of Eruditio," Lolita said, motioning at Bruno. They stood around him. "We are his friends, and if you allow it, we can ask you about what happened back there."

The man turned his face towards Lolita. "We weren't *cough* the ones meant to deliver the shipment. We arrived in order to warn you of *cough* the war that is coming."

Bruno calmly replied. "Sir, what are you talking about?"

The man turned to Bruno, the reconstructors healing the injuries on his left arm. "King Estes can open a portal for you to access both Eruditio and the Land of the Dawn."

"Wait, why would we go to the Land of the Dawn?" Layla interrogated.

"Each of you have their roles present in this event. You need to go now. *cough* The *cough* land requires the six of you."

"Six?" The three asked in unison.

"The Gunner, the Elf, the Protector, the Hunter, the Hovering Blade and the Fighter. The world needs you." The operator said before passing out in exhaustion.

"Wait, is he dead?" Layla asked?

"He lost consciousness. He is fine," a voice answered. The three turned around and saw someone in a yellow jumpsuit. The suit had symbols, like ones present from different martial arts. It was a he, somewhat in his 20's. There was no denying who he really is.

"Chou?!" Bruno gasped. "What are you doing here?"

Chou went closer to the group. "I received a telepathic message from Estes. He told me to get here, and that I need to wait for the others. Didn't know I'm a bit late."

"Not yet, Chou," Lolita answered. "We just arrived a few minutes ago. Is Alucard included?"

"As far as I know, many individuals are of importance to this. Estes didn't give me all the details, but he sounded serious. But, to answer your question, yes, he is included."

The trio looked at each other.

"I forgot my Cannon in my house," Layla said.

"Same with my hammer," Lolita added.

"We can't just let you go alone, it would already be risky," Chou remarked. "Like I told you, Estes would want us to stay here.

Bruno had an idea. "How about this. I can contact Alucard to get here immediately. Layla and I will get the Cannon, while Lolita get the hammer. You stay and guard here." Chou agreed.

"Sounds nice to me," Lolita said. "Let's go. It would be unwise to waste time."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Shift in the Making**

Alucard was back at the Clan Barracks, polishing his greatsword. It was a gift from the clan, after he finished Initiation. He was skilled at it, even though he felt that its true potential was still locked out. He is still content, however. Slashing demons to pieces and protecting the lands from outside threats would be sufficient to avenge the deaths of his parents.

But the last two weeks were too peaceful. Their clan did not come across a single demon or beast. Alucard has been waiting for a concentrated attack on the camp, but nothing happened…

"Alucard," Yinsen, his friend, ran up to him, panting. "Victor wants to talk to you."

"Something wrong, Yinsen?"

"He found a girl in the woods," Yinsen replied.

"So what? It's not like we have no females in the clan."

"That's not what I meant. The girl was mentioning your name, and she's currently unconscious."

Alucard considered this new. He stood up, gripping his weapon and put it on its sheathe. He wore it on his back. The two walked to the camp HQ, where Victor, the chief, was undergoing battle plan adjustments.

They entered the tent. Yinsen was right, a girl was there. She looked slightly younger than him, maybe a year or two. She wore a red hood and a white skirt with a black blouse. She fashioned a ruby pendant. But what surprised the two is the huge scythe next to the cot. She was lying on a makeshift bed.

Victor, the head chief, rose up. "Here you are, boy. We just got this girl from the woods, getting attacked by wolves. When she was out cold from the assault, she kept-"

"Mentioning my name?" Alucard said.

"Yes, seemed like it."

The demon hunter edged closer to the sleeping girl. She wore an eyepatch on her left eye. He tried to recall if he'd met the girl before, because she seemed so familiar.

"Does she ring a bell to you, bro?" Yinsen asked. "Maybe she's someone you met before?"

Alucard thought deeply. He saw the red hood before. He remembered going to this village a couple of years back. He bought bread in the bakery, and a girl with the same red hood went up to him and asked who he was…

"No way," Alucard muttered. "How…"

"Wait, you know her?" Victor suddenly rose up. "Come on, lad. Tell me. Try to recall."

"I thought you were dead..."

"Hold up a second, Alu," Yinsen calmed the hunter. "Is she really meant to be dead?"

Alucard shrugged the feeling and spoke clearly. "Her village was attacked by wolves. Her grandmother didn't survive, but how did she?"

"So you do know her! Can you give a name?" Victor asked.

"Her name is Ruby. She talked to me a couple of years back. After a few hours, her home was attacked by the Wolf King and his henchmen."

"Makes a lot of sense. But how was she able to survive?" Yinsen wondered.

Alucard was confused as well. "I don't know, but it has something to do with the scythe. I can't read her mind, it's messy there. Tons of interference."

Victor smiled. "If she killed those wolves with that scythe, then I'd be overjoyed!" He said, pointing at it. It was very sharp. The design was heavy, yet smooth and clean. It was nearly impossible to imbue such amount of detail to the scythe, whilst making it sharp as possible.

"I have to go, man," Yinsen popped. "Got some guard duty to attend."

"Stay safe," Alucard said. "Victor, she must be here for a reason. We may not have encountered demons in the past weeks but it already means a huge change."

Victor nodded. "The outside world doesn't spread much news as well. Never heard some from the king."

Ruby suddenly awoke with a jolt, breathing heavily.

"Holy Lord!" Victor exclaimed.

"That was surprising…" Alucard replied. He gained the ability to read minds, so he had a head start. After the torture he received when he was a kid, he gained mind control, but his right arm was replaced with a more gruesome demonic arm, with elbow spikes and a reddish scales. It also had claws to come with. Alucard never uses his right hand in combat. But it could mean something…

Ruby twitched and looked around her frantically. She began to mumble. "Blood… Massacre… Fire is…"

"That's not good," Alucard said. "Sir, we need to get the med team. I'll handle this." Victor rushed outside, but almost forgot to wear pants.

"Really?"

"Sorry, kid. The pants are too tight." He exited the tent.

Alucard began to comfort her. "Woah, it's okay. I'm here. Don't-"

He was interrupted by a punch from her fist. She raced for her scythe. Alucard quickly unsheathed his greatsword.

"Calm down, Ruby. You are not in danger."

Ruby remained muttering nonetheless. "War… Death… Darkness… Coming…"

She lifted the scythe, something that surprised the demon hunter, knowing that the scythe, in truth, was really heavy. She began to hyperventilate.

"It's me, Alucard. You asked me to come here. Let me get closer. I won't hurt you," he said.

The girl regained sense. She abruptly dropped the scythe and began to feel faint. Alucard caught her before she hit the ground. Victor arrived with two med officers.

"What's going on here?" an officer questioned.

"She's sane for now," Alucard replied. "Hand over the healixir." The officers gave him a small bottle of green liquid. A pungent aroma filled his nose.

"Whu-What…" Ruby was gaining control, but she became too weak.

Alucard removed the cork of the bottle. "Don't drink too much. This eliminates your drowsiness." He held the bottle to her lips while she slowly drank. When the bottle lost half its contents, he capped it and gave it to the officers.

"Thanks, guys," Alucard said. "I'll take it from here." The officers nodded, leaving behind an emergency aid kit on the bed. Alucard carried Ruby to the cot and let her rest.

"You know, she wasn't like that when we encountered her in the woods," Victor added. "She was alert. Why would she be like this?"

"Augh, my head hurts," Ruby said. She tried to sit up, but Alucard stopped her.

"Ruby, you need the fluid to circulate around your bloodstream. It will take time. Just lie down."

"What happened? Where am I?" she asked.

"You're in the base camp of the Demon Hunter Clan. We rescued you. You were under attack by wolves."

She relaxed a little.

Alucard wasn't one to intrude minds with his abilities that easily, so he decided to ask. "How did you survive the attack from your village?" _I thought you were dead, then,_ he thought.

Ruby shook her head. "I never talk about it," she answered, looking at the scythe. Alucard didn't need to read her mind. He got his answer.

"Okay… What were you doing in the woods, alone?"

"Travelling to the Land of the Dawn. A voice in my head told me to do so. I have been traveling for 2 weeks. First time I tried to leave the woods."

"And the wolves wouldn't let you out before they kill you first. That's why you were attacked," Alucard concluded.

"I was nearing the border when it occurred. I am glad this pants-less man asked for backup."

Victor was blushing with embarrassment. "Anytime, miss. Also, the laundry was ransacked before by a demon. Don't ask."

Ruby continued. "By the way, how far is the Land of the Dawn?"

Victor grabbed a map and unfurled it. "We are… a couple of leagues away, but nothing we can't cover in a week. The portal here can be repaired for us to get to the Land in a jiffy. I know there is one nearby, but we amped security, fearing a wide scale attack here."

Suddenly, Alucard felt a jolt in the back of his head. A voice spoke, _Demon Hunter, you need to traverse. Time is running out._

"Who is this?" Alucard mistakenly said that out loud. "Someone is telepathically calling me!"

 _You must hurry. Time is of the essence. Fix the portal and reach the Land with your brethren. Never forget the girl._

The voice stopped before Alucard could respond.

"Boy, what's wrong?" Victor asked. Ruby was nervous.

"A voice told me to fix the portal and bring in all of you to the kingdom. He warned me to hurry."

Ruby stood. "I am going with Alucard. We need someone to guard the repairmen on the way to the portal. I know where it is."

Victor disagrees. "Woah, woah, girl. I know you wish to help Mr. Handsome Demon Hunter here, but are you sure? I mean, you're still healing from your partially recovered wounds."

Ruby reached the scythe and held it like it was nothing. "It's all right."

"Alu, I will bring in the repairmen squadron to aid you. I will bring the whole camp in a few minutes. The two of you, go now."

The two went outside. Before leaving, they went to Yinsen.

"Wait, what?" He was confused after the incredibly fast explanation.

"Youhavetosendbackupnowandgetoutofhere-" Ruby said.

"Okay, chill. I will send some to follow-" Before Yinsen was able to finish, the two sped off.

"Ughhh, why are they in such a hurry. Demon Hunters…"

After a few minutes of trekking with the squadron, they found the portal. Again, nothing attacked them. Nothing ambushed them or anything. It was dead quiet, the oak trees giving shade for them against the sunlight. It was late afternoon, and something should've popped by now.

Yinsen broke the silence. "They could be waiting for us here, you know. There could be hostile Stalkers here."

"Stalkers don't come out this early," Horst, his wingman, added.

"Watch your backs, everyone," Alucard warned.

The repairmen began repairing the portal.

"This may take a while, my friends!" the command chief replied. "The portal has been untouched for years."

10 people circled around the portal: Yinsen, Horst, Alucard, Ruby, Victor and 5 men with lieutenant rank and higher. 3 skilled repairmen can fix a portal with minor delay, but with an untouched portal? It will really take some time.

5 minutes passed, and yet, no danger in sight.

"The camp is here!" Ruby declared. All 191 Demon Hunters have arrived, camping equipment and hunting weapons in tow.

"Fawkes, Jason, Tuk, Pique…" Victor went on as he checked the attendance. "Okay, all are here."

The portal began to whirr, then a blue vortex appeared, spiraling in the portal. The vortex was then replaced by the landscape of the Land of the Dawn. Alucard remembered the kingdom to be lively, but something seemed imbalanced.

"When we get there, we request a meeting with the King," Alucard said. "We discuss about the odd events popping up in the past few weeks. Maybe he knows something."

Yinsen budged in. "Let's not forget asking about the current events in other areas, like Eruditio and Iga. We never received the monthly report."

The Hunters nodded. They walked to the portal and disappeared to the other side. Victor, Alucard and Yinsen waited for the others to go.

But Alucard nearly forgot something.

"Wait! Victor, how about my sister?"

"You mean Layla? You can meet her if you want, but hurry up now. You don't wanna be late," he said, before walking to the portal.

"You can bring them to the kingdom," Yinsen said. "They need protection. We're here to help. Cya, mate!" He left.

Alucard configured the destination to the City of Scholars.

"Better warn them before it's too late." He walked to the portal and got sucked in by the sudden gravitational force. After a few seconds, he plopped into a building, filled with… cardboard boxes?

He brushed off the dust on his blood-red coat. "That's a first."

He scanned the area. He saw a mechanized med bay occupied by a wounded man. He recognized the uniform. It was one of the undercover ones for the Royal Messengers of the kingdom. It's the first time he's seen one brutally attacked.

He saw his old friend Chou whistling, his body leaning on the med bay's protective glass dome. When he turned his head, he nearly jumped by surprise.

"Alu, ever heard of not showing up like a ghost?!"

"I teleported here. The portal was meant to deliver me to one of the gateways, but here I am."

Chou scrunched his eyebrows. "Really? Yeah, well, something is making me tense around here. Nothing seems right."

"Me too. Have you seen Layla?" Alucard asked.

"She went off with Bruno to get her Cannon. Lolita went for her hammer. I am here to stay and wait for them to regroup here, then we wait for the custom portal Estes will designate inside the warehouse, but I assume someone is still missing. Something about 'Hovering Blade'?"

"It's Fanny," Alucard explained. "Hadn't seen her fly in a while. Last time I met her she told me that she had to run errands near the Land of the Dawn."

"Like what, zigzag around the canopy? She mapped the whole dang forest, if you're wondering."

"Analyzing battle strategies?" Alucard guessed. "She's our GPS. With her work there, it's nearly impossible for her to scout out for the operator."

Chou replied, "A guard unit was meant to. Didn't make it alive."

Then, the door burst open, and Layla, Bruno and Lolita went in.

"We got them!" Bruno cheered. "Comms is faulty, so I couldn't con- Oh… Kay," he stopped when he saw Alucard.

Layla reached in for a hug. "Where have you been?"

Alucard shrugged. "I had guard duties. Can't leave the Clan that easily. Weirdly enough, no hunt was initiated."

Lolita wasn't too surprised. "Is this what we've been waiting for?"

"The War? I hope not, but it seems like the universe demanded it inevitable."

"All we know is that we should wait for Estes get here."

And it's what they did. Their nervousness slowly, yet gradually increased by the passing time. Bruno aimlessly made freestyle tricks with his energy ball. Lolita and Layla tinkered with their weapons, checking for any material degradation and possible upgrade. Chou sat down on the floor and began his meditation. Alucard, however, was trying to concentrate in order to search for the voice in his head.

And then…

 _Alucard, are you there?_

"I GOT SOMETHING! SOMEONE'S TALKING TO ME TELEPATHICALLY!" the demon hunter began, but then lowered his voice. "Who is this?"

 _This is Yinsen, mate! Listen, Estes taught me basic mind reading to warn you of the impending attack! You need to get to the portal, now!_

"What?! Which portal, what attack?!"

Chou's curiosity amplified. "Something wrong?"

"There's an attack on Eruditio. Bruno, Lolita, check outside. The three of us will join you later. Go!"

Bruno and Lolita rushed to the door.

 _The portal is on the entrance of this Zephyr building. The Royal Convoy is there and they'll hold off the horde for the civilians to get through. Get there in time, since Estes can't keep up the portal's hostility filter for long. Good luck!_

Alucard turned to Layla and Chou. "A demon attack is engaged in Eruditio. We need to race to Zephyr Corps. And escort as many civilians as possible."

"I'm getting the operator," Bruno called.

"Layla, join Bruno and Lolita, they might need help."

Layla stood up and grabbed her Cannon. "Got it." She reached for the door. The distant sound of gunfire was heard. Chou quickly disabled the med bay and carried the unconscious operator with him. The remaining two went out the storage room door and to the bakery's main doors.

There was no demon in sight, yet the citizens of the city began to run to the same direction…

"They're heading for Zephyr Corps.," Chou explained. "Maybe Estes gave them enough time to race for it. C'mon, we have to find the others."

The towering skyscraper wasn't that far, but with the current situation, it seemed like it needed to cover a couple of miles to get there. Alucard and Chou saw Layla, readying her Cannon for any threat.

"Calm down, Layla," Alucard said. "We need to get to Zephyr Corps. There, we'd round the civs to the makeshift portal." Layla quickly nodded and joined the civilians in running.

"The slums!" Chou exclaimed, worried. "Has it been attacked yet?"

Suddenly, a steel cable pierced the wall next to the duo. A red-haired woman zipped via the said cable, technically flying. She wielded two katanas.

"So, what took you long?" Fanny asked.

"Estes warned us about the attack. Have you gathered Intel?" Chou replied.

"The demons charged all in from the south side. No casualties, but it's a mess."

Alucard asked, "Did they break through the wall?"

Fanny shook her head. "They climbed over it. They made a pile of bodies of themselves and threw the spare on the other side. There are lots of Ravagers and a few Hellbats, and one Reaper, as far as I know."

"Ravagers and Hellbats are easy," Alucard said. "But a Reaper, you can't take alone."

"I will scout for more attacks and rescue civs. You stay in guard and find any more in a 5-block radius. After that, you get out of there." Fanny shot two steel cables to a faraway building and zipped.

"I wonder how she could fly with ease. Her invention must be a tough one to control," Chou said.

Alucard replied, "She told me that she taught herself, but I don't really think she could do all that. Let's try and get moving."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Preparation Phase**

The duo split up as they began searching. Chou took the east while Alucard from the west. The operator Chou was carrying was in the hands of Fanny and Bruno.

Chou's mind was racing.

 _Well, at least I won't worry much about leaving the stove open._

 _I'd really like that old monk's help now._

 _Fanny taught herself? Impossible. It even took me years to master Kung Fu._

 _I am so gonna go ham and cheese when those demons dent my favorite nunchucks._

He sprinted as far as he could until he saw a boy trapped in the rubble. He wasn't pinned down, but debris blocked the crevice. A medium-sized fire was slowly growing. Chou knew that he'd need to kick the debris out or the fire will consume the boy in a few minutes.

He checked on the boy first. The boy was covered in soot, though he doesn't look injured, he was terrified, hugging his knees shakily.

Chou encouraged, "Hey, kid! It's okay, I got you." The boy shook his head, silently crying.

"Don't worry. If there is any demon butt here, I'd kick them sky high for you. Do you have any parents?"

The boy nodded.

"If so, I need you to hold tight. I'll kick off the debris." Chou went behind the rubble and roundhouse kicked the top end of the rubble, sending it flying, until it stuck to a nearby building.

Chou held out his hand to the boy, and he pulled him out of the crevice. He brushed off all the soot he could clean off of him, until he heard a snarl.

Chou looked behind him. Two Ravagers came into view, their huge mouths foaming. They had no eyes, but their sense of hearing is extremely enhanced, making them capable of high quality echolocation. They aren't the best chasers, though their sharp claws can shred iron.

Good thing, though, is that they are rather clumsy in turning.

"Oh, boy," Chou said. "Time to do what I do best." He quickly did his basic Kung Fu stance, his eyes focused on the Ravagers. Their backs were the weak spots. He only needed to get around them.

Unfortunately, the alley they were in had a dead end. Guess who were on that.

The first Ravager charged. The boy hid his eyes. Chou maintained calm.

"Easy…" he muttered, waiting for the chance to strike. The Ravager leaped, enshrouding the sun's figure. Chou jumped as well, rotating his body and landed a huge kick on the monster's gut. It's one way to waste 10 minutes of indulging lunch. Chou kicked it so hard that the Ravager flew back, slamming itself to its unaware cousin. Both skidded on the asphalt.

Chou sprinted with the boy, getting out of the alley as fast as they can to prevent being cornered. They got out just in time, for the Ravagers got back up. Both ran to Chou.

He knew that he couldn't counter it, so he dodged it by dashing away. He did so again when they turned around. It was only a matter of time he'd exhaust. Then, from either side, the monsters charged, hoping to nab an easy snack. Chou dodged at the right moment and the Ravagers hit each other. The sound of splitting skulls could be heard, for they were sprinting in breakneck speed.

Chou attended to the boy. "You okay, kid?" He replied with a smile and a thumbs-up.

Chou raced back to the exfil he and Alucard discussed. Alucard was already there, greatsword drawn. It was matted with blood.

"All the survivors were pulled out in time," Alucard said. "The city's outer defense system was deployed, crippling tons of monsters. A few got away unharmed, but it was easy to kill them one by one."

"I managed to rescue a kid when 2 of those uglies came at us. Let's get out of here, meet the others," Chou suggested.

They ran to the blue, towering skyscraper. The buildings have initiated their secondary defense systems. Machine guns and stasis generators are on display, scanning the surrounding area. Eruditio Avenue was extremely wide, each side of the road peppered with busy markets, trade centers, malls and bio-facilities. Now, it wasn't so busy.

The three can't deny the fact they felt like they were watched. They were looking around, overthinking.

"Try to relax," Chou said, breaking the silence. "We would have our guard up as soon as one of the alarms blared."

It took a couple of minutes to reach the building. The inside was crowded with people, but it didn't stay cramped for too long. Multiple portals could be seen through the skyscraper's glass screens, giving the citizens safe refuge. The Royal Guard is there, rounding up the last of the survivors. Chou nudged the kid in line and said goodbye.

Alucard and Chou saw Bruno, Layla and Lolita talking to one of the Royal Soldiers. He was buff, and clad in golden armor which never seemed to dent or rust. His golden sword gleamed, even when sheathed. He had no helmet on, unlike the others.

"That's Tigreal," Alucard said. "Best soldier the Land of the Dawn ever had. Fought a couple of battles and won them. The kingdom would be brought to ashes without him."

Chou could hear their conversations.

"…and much more support would be arriving the kingdom anytime soon," Tigreal said in a deep voice.

"So it's true. It's starting," Bruno replied. "How much support do you mean?"

"A lot. Whatever the threat is, it's huge. I don't even know what we're up against. Estes remains silent. Probably preventing gossip to spread and cause panic."

Alucard and Chou wedged through the conversation.

"Didn't know you'd be here," Alucard said, shaking Tigreal hand.

"I was off duty when Estes requested I go in the field. I thought this would be regular afternoon patrolling, when it was actually a worldwide evacuation. Nearly half the army was deployed through different waypoints in different nations and began the evacuation. As far as I know, Nost Gal remains intact, while Iga and Onmyouji are in disarray. Good thing this place didn't have much of a breach.

"Demons?" Chou asked.

"More than that," Lolita replied. "Ghasts, Mimics, Specters, Hellhounds."

"I knew it!" Alucard exclaimed. "This is why we never had any demon to hunt in the first place. They were amassing a full scale attack… The one thing I truly feared."

"Don't worry, for most of the cities have been cleared," Tigreal reassured. "The problem is, we couldn't easily reach the farther parts of the globe. As far as I am concerned, Estes requires your presence immediately. I suggest we exit this place, along with the guard unit."

"About damn time," Bruno said. "Wait, what about Fanny?"

"She arrived here earlier," Tigreal said. "Nasty cut on her arm, yet she was able to save half a dozen residents. Don't worry, it could be healed in a jiffy." He turned to the nearest portal. "Come on, let's go."

The five followed Tigreal through the portal. After a few moments, they reached the Land of the Dawn.

They have been there before. Actually, they've been there dozens of times, but they never seem to get used to the enthralling beauty the kingdom beheld.

They were in the Kingdom's Grand Circle, a wide circular space in the kingdom. The bricks of the pavement were lined with pure gold, and never held a speck of dirt. A monument was on the center: A tall stand made of marble, and atop, a figure of the sun with 8 rays, a crescent moon residing underneath. It was originally a lone sun, when Estes took charge and the Council requested the symbol to add the crescent moon.

Around the Grand Circle were buildings of all shapes and sizes, yet they seem to create a balanced perspective. The Each structure was made of concrete and steel, with the addition of cutting-edge windows that seem to fend off the light.

On the north of the Circle lay the Holy Citadel, a marvelous castle tipped with domes. The roofs contained multiple scouts, guarding the vicinity. (It has been heard that a scout could hit the eye of a charging demon from a few miles away, and there had been concrete evidence to prove it.)

"How could I ever get used to this place?" Layla asked.

"Answer? You can't," Alucard said, snickering.

They followed Tigreal through the citadel, weaving around the bustling crowd. Once they reached inside, the amount of breathing room increased, but the scenery still left them speechless.

The 5 have been through many spots around the kingdom, but never the palace itself. Pillars of marble and gold were arranged perfectly. The ceiling was painted with realistic representations of past events. Since the paintings were small, it was really hard to distinguish what they really portrayed.

Between each pillar, Royal Guards clad in Sentry Armor stood still, holding intricate, shiny spears that pointed to the ceiling above. Their eyes never twitched, and they were as motionless as mannequins.

The Throne of Light stood proudly on the other end. Made out of pure, glistening gold and fitted with cushions, it seemed like everyone's dream furniture. The kingdom's new symbol could be seen in a huge, vertical stained glass painting behind the throne. What's even astounding is that the whole palace seemed to gleam with blue streaks.

"Since Estes sat on the throne, the castle gleamed blue streaks during the day," Tigreal explained. "When evening strikes, the whole of the kingdom will have azure linings, and the throne would give a darker blue hue. Nifty idea by the elven architects. Got to admit, they've got some talent."

They walked to the throne chamber. They saw Estes talking to one of his advisors.

Elves never seemed to age, and the same would be said for Estes. The eldest of elves could live for up to 10,000 years. It was some kind of partial immortality, but then again, they were never safe from natural diseases and disasters.

His eyes were pure white, yet emotion could be seen on his face. He didn't wear a crown, though he wore a cloak with a big collar and a cape. He had long white hair that reached below his shoulders, and he was holding the Moonlight Codex on one hand.

(The Moonlight Codex is a very powerful and sacred artifact. It mainly consists of a Moon Shard and the Book of Selene. When combined together, it creates a powerful book that can conjure spells, shields and weapons, all through the power of the Moonlight. And yes, its power increases during nighttime.)

"…the support of our schedules. Any attack could be initiated within the hour," Estes said to his advisor. The advisor simply nodded and walked away.

"There he is, our beloved king," Tigreal pointed at Estes. He knelt down, sword pointing to the ground. Estes beckoned Tigreal to stand.

"My Lord," Alucard knelt, the others following his stead.

"You need not kneel," Estes encouraged. "And please, you may call me Estes. Formalities aren't really of much need right now."

"Okay…" Lolita muttered under her breath. She is scanning the area, admiring the grand architecture.

Estes took notice of this. "Creating is your hobby, Lolita. I suppose you're wondering about how this place is made."

"I assume it's no easy task," Lolita replied.

"Of course it wasn't." Estes snapped his fingers. "Please, follow me. We'll go to the underground barracks."

Suddenly, a rumble resonated around the halls.

"Woah!" the 5 said in unison. The floor beneath them divided, revealing a grand staircase, leading to a wide chamber lined with rows of weapons.

"A bunker," Layla said.

"It's more like a last resort," Chou said.

The 7 climbed down the steps. Upon reaching the bottom, the trapdoor closed below them, triggering the illumination in the chamber. The chamber was more like a conference room. A table could be seen in the center of the huge chamber, lined with chairs. People could be seen discussing something important.

"The next shard couldn't be right there. It says on the records. Me and Hayabusa have already cross-referenced the data," said a man. He sported a big ponytail, and he wore light battle armor, detailed to perfection. A Jade dragon's head rested on his right shoulder.

"Something doesn't seem right. The 1st Shard was near here, and north of there is Nost Gal, where the 2nd was found. The Ocular Sun indicates the location of the 3rd, yet it is on the south, where the wastelands are. It's nearly impossible for a relic to be there," another said. It was a girl, clad in standard battle armor. Alucard recognized the outfit. It's one from the Valkyries of Nost Gal.

"I have scoured a lot of places from the wasteland, though I've never been on them dark places. Rumors of relics out and about there, though none be foolish to go there," another one said. He wore a purple scarf and donned a cowboy's hat. His dual revolvers were holstered next to his hips.

Estes came into view, and the people on the chairs immediately stood in unison, bowing. Estes bowed in return.

"Please, sit," he requested.

Tigreal motioned Alucard, Chou, Bruno, Lolita and Layla to their respective seats. They rested their stuff on the table (or next to their seats).

"We have made good progress, but we have a lot to go if we're going to put our enemies down. Our statistics confirmed the site of the 3rd shard. It is somewhere on the dark side of the Megalith Wastelands," Estes said. The people around began murmuring.

"I know that none wishes to traverse there, so we will let the Ocular Sun to scan the area before we get there. The location of the shard is confirmed, but the unknown dangers, we need to identify."

A hologram of the world map popped up on the center of the table. Several miniscule movements can be distinguished.

"The data being fed here is real time," Tigreal explained. "We are able to upgrade the Ocular Sun to do so. There, we could see that the dark side of the Wasteland is bustling with activity. So far, we could only confirm the presence of Hellhounds and Ravagers. The shard is somewhere on the edge of the Dark Zone. Lucky enough, we won't travel too far." He pointed at a small spot on the hologram. The hologram began to disappear.

"We can't get the shard without preparation. We will try our best to obtain it within the week, but we won't guarantee a safe extraction. Expect resistance. That's all for today, thank you." The people stood up, leaving their chairs, yet they still murmured about certain topics.

"Wonder what they could be talking about," Alucard said. "To have that many nations gathered into one place? It's beginning to get to my nerves."

"And what shard are they talking about?" Bruno asked. "There are no more Moonlight Shards."

"They're referring to something different," Layla added. "The cowboy mumbled something about divine intervention."

Estes walked to them. "Sorry for the inconvenience. We will explain everything to you for the time being."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Recall**

"Long ago, humans, elves, orcs and multiple tribes around the globe lived in harmony," Estes began. "Unfortunately, trouble always comes around. The Dark Lord materialized from the deceptive negativity present in the world. Instead of directly destroying the peace and quiet, he whizzed around the globe, scouring for formidable candidates. He plucked one out from the Angelic Plains."

"Alice," Alucard continued. "The Queen of the Apocalypse."

"The two had been at work in the shadows for long. Alice seduced a former king of this land, and the Dark Lord deceived the queen, stating that he could give her the power to do what she could. Her wish was granted, but at the cost of the good inside her heart. She was Vexana, the Necromancer."

"One day, an angel from the heavens warned a scribe about their plans to overthrow this kingdom. She was Rafaela, known as the Wings of Holiness. The scribe warned the prince of the Land, and he took charge, after learning what happened to the royalty."

"The battle was easier than expected. Angels and fighters were sent by the Lords of Order to intervene. Alice and Vexana were locked in the deepest parts of the earth, while the Dark Lord's is trapped in a confidential chest."

"But it has been thousands of years. Those Holy bonds won't last forever. Demonic activity has decreased the past few weeks. We are glad we have prepared for this moment."

"So you're saying…," Layla interrupted. "…that Alice and Vexana will return?"

"I suppose that's true, Layla. Your father's beliefs made fruitful decisions," Estes answered. "A few years ago, Tigreal and his partner, Natalia, were sent to scout an illegal arms deal somewhere near Nost Gal. It seems Bane has been busy."

"The Pirate Lord?!" Chou exclaimed. "He's back?"

"Correct. Even if his ships remain silent, his trading schedule is stacking on top of one another. Anyway, we were able to stop the arms trade, but we uncovered an ancient site that day."

"We uncovered a labyrinth filled with expired traps. They reached the center and managed to find the Minotaur."

"This story keeps getting better and better," Bruno mumbled.

"He wasn't as furious as before. We were able to stabilize his emotions and bring him with us unrestrained. Unfortunately, the squad was ambushed by multiple Ravagers and a few Reapers."

"We were on the losing edge when the Minotaur chose to fight. He slammed the ground with such force which sent the foes flying, but something else unearthed beneath the rock."

He stopped for a moment. Since they were walking to the Citadel's Library, he opened the doors to continue their journey. The shelves were lined with books, old and new, and on one end, scrolls that seemed tattered or shredded, yet they were intact and preserved with utmost care. Estes grabbed a specific scroll and unfurled it on one of the tables.

"The carvings on this scroll are ancient," he added. "It took a while to decipher the code." He pointed to the gibberish symbols that made no sense. A picture of a crystal was on the center.

"It says, _'Since the Beginning of Time, the Lords of Order decided to house the energy of absolute purity and life into an object. They created the Genesys Gem, a 10-meter tall Crystal which radiated like the sun and gleamed like the moon. Fearing its potential, the Lord's decided to split the Crystal into ten, sending each piece to different parts of the world, buried in the ground. The Gem was believed to have the strength to purify the world of all evil. The Lords let the nations find the Shards, but the Dark Lord destroyed 4 of the shards of Moonlight.'"_

"The last shard is on the Moonlight Codex, which I currently possess," Estes said, tapping the book's cover.

"But what happened to Tigreal and this Natalia woman?" Lolita asked.

"Through the Minotaur's merciless striking, a shard unearthed from the earth. We immediately sent it home for study, and so we began the search for the other shards, not knowing that the time has come to reassemble the Gem once again," Estes said.

"But the other 4 shards were destroyed!" Alucard retorted.

"The Moonlight Codex amplifies the shard's power. When we have all the Dawn Crystals, we will wait for the shards to coalesce with the Codex to form the Gem."

"But you only have found two," Chou added.

"The last three are spread in different parts of the world, like Alaghat, Korea and Makadan Island. What I stated were faraway places we have discovered decades ago. They aren't hostile, though we assume one of the shards are located on one of those places."

"Another reason why you gathered all the nations for a meeting in the first place," Layla concluded.

Estes smiled faintly. "Time was of the essence. Now, I think you might want to be introduced to your allies."

They walked out of the Citadel down to the Training Arena. Somewhere in the view, hundreds of citizens waited as they were designated to their substitute homes.

"The problem was never just the time," Tigreal said. "The space in this place could only house so much."

They reached the training grounds. Multiple soldiers of different nations sparred against dummies and holographic demons. Some sparred against themselves to test their endurance, strength and speed.

Alucard noticed one of the members. He was the same man who had a ponytail. He was sparring against 3 soldiers at once, deflecting all of their attacks with his Spear. After a few seconds, he countered them all and put them on the ground. He helped them back up.

"That's Yun Zhao, Son of the Dragon," Tigreal said. "He ages slower, so he looks like he's an adolescent, when he's actually 253 years old."

"That's new," Chou replied.

"That's the cost of multiple time travels. He traveled in many timeliness to aid kings of different kingdoms to victory. This is meant to be his last mission."

Suddenly, a black figure popped up and tried to strike Zhao. He deflected the attack, but the figure disappeared quickly. It reappeared behind him and struck again, and the spar continued.

"Hayabusa, Shadow of Iga," Alucard said.

"Yup," Tigreal replied. "He was Zhao's friend when he popped up here. Made a great duo. They were always at a stalemate when they sparred."

On one of the benches, a buff girl was resting. She wore a huge horned skull on his back, and leather tunics covered her body. Her boots were made of wool, and beside her, rested a huge Axe.

"Hilda of the Wastelands," Estes mentioned. "She seeked help from us in order to aid her tribe. We did so, and we gained a formidable ally. She came along with Balmond, leader of the Bloodaxe Orcs, who also lived on the wasteland. The two held an alliance ever since the occurrences."

"Why did she seek help in the first place?" Lolita asked.

"Their resources are being drained. The Wasteland is harsh, though they could survive. The fact that they sought help caught our attention. Balmond also reported the lack of demonic presences. He is currently back at the Wastelands, gathering his troops."

"How about the cowboy?" Bruno asked. "Is he from the Wasteland?"

"The one you mention is Clint. He is the Gunslinger around those parts, a paragon for those who suffer. Eliminated lots of criminals and sent many in prison. None really knew where he came from, only that he became an orphan when he was a kid. His skills with his revolvers, however, are outstanding. There he is, by the range."

They turned to their rights, seeing Clint. He only stood at the range, eyeing his targets. He slowly put his hands on his revolvers.

Suddenly, in one swift move, he pulled them out and began firing with swift precision. Bang, bang, bang, went the revolvers, as he hit the bulls-eye of 12 targets with 12 shots. He twirled his revolvers and swung near his belt. The cartridges were reloaded instantly.

"Those are some fast hands," Alucard said. "Wait, who are those on the corner?" He pointed to two distant figures. One was a female archer, definitely Elf. The other was more like a cat, for she had cat ears. She was small, and she held a boomerang.

"That's Miya and Nana," Tigreal explained. "Miya is the best archer we've had ever since Estes became king. She found Nana in the wilderness and helped her control her magic powers. Nana was considered an outcast in her kind. She originally tends to the garden, but her request to be in the field is already processed and verified."

Chou scrunched his eyebrows. "Looks could seem deceiving…"

"Well, one time," Tigreal told Chou, "she transformed a group of demons to fluffy cats."

Then, a faint, whizzing sound could be heard in the arena. From above, a hovercraft glided to the ground, carrying a passenger. When they reached a few feet above the ground, the passenger jumped off.

He wore a thick visor which covered the top part of his face: his nose and eyes. He wore a ponytail as well, but his hair seemed to be of dreadlocks. (Bruno thought it to be a mop.) Instead of having a regular body, a full-armor exoskeleton took its place, and a red shoal hang loosely from his shoulders. He wielded a spear, though its origin is most likely from the future, for Lolita could sense its energy. The craft hovered above him and began to shrink, until it was a few feet long. It hovered around him.

"Scout complete. Wasteland Conditions: Harsh, Desert, Dry, Desolate. Temperature change: Drastic," a voice said, though the person's mouth didn't open. The man began looking at the group.

"Request Identification of 5 unknown individuals."

Alucard stepped up. "I am Alucard. These are my friends, Chou, Bruno, Lolita, and my sister, Layla. We're here under Estes' command."

"Verification complete," the voice replied.

Suddenly, a new, synthesized voice resonated around them, and the man's mouth began moving. "Hello! How are you?"

"Um, what?" Layla said, baffled.

"This is Alpha," Estes said. "He comes from the future with his cyborg companions, Saber and Johnson. The two are still in patrol, while Alpha undergone Recon. The other voice you heard was from his aircraft, named Beta."

Alpha spoke again. "Everywhere I go, Beta follows!"

Bruno grinned. "This is too cool. We don't have this back in Eruditio."

"Must have gained self-awareness and emotion. Behaves like a kid, with fancy tech," Lolita whispered to him.

Beta spoke, "Gained emotion and self-awareness during 23rd day after manufacture. Learned how to feel happy and sad. Began request for freedom."

"I may not know much about cyborgs," Alucard spoke. "but this is one of the most advanced works of tech I've ever seen, even with the underdeveloped human soul residing in Alpha."

"I could check on his programming, if he allows it," Lolita suggests.

Alpha replied, "Self-programmed to be open. Guidelines for Openness learned. Freedom of Information approved. Alpha is free to choose!"

"We have been testing whether we could improve Alpha's linguistics and behavior to become more mature, but nature must take its natural course," Estes said. "There are more to come, so let's meet them."

"Alpha wants to follow group. Knowing group enhances team efficiency," Alpha requested, Beta circling around his head endlessly.

"Request accepted, dude!" Bruno encouraged.

The group walked to a corner of the Arena. There, they witnessed the Mages practice and enhance their magic powers.

"There are a couple of magicians from the globe who voluntarily joined the fight. They're not really good in the frontlines, but they'll help provide ranged support with their skills."

Layla saw a man with a bluish skin which seemed more like rock than flesh. His hair is crazed, and he rode on a board. A volatile yet suppressed energy radiated from him.

"His name is Gord," Alpha said. "Mr. Blue lived in this mystic stuff. Changed his looks. Seems intimidating. He is approachable. First rule: never anger or provoke."

Beta spoke as well. "Age: Unknown, Citizenship: Unknown. Powerful ally which can cast mystic bombs and energy fields. Powers amplified through hover board. Request more information for complete verification."

"Don't worry, he volunteered as an ally," Tigreal comforted. "We looked in his profile. He was from a long-lost civilization of magicians. He is the last of their kind, and even before the loss of his society, he was their strongest."

"What happened?" Alucard asked.

"Vexana happened," Bruno said. "Heard the story from a few of the Royal Guard. The attack was gruesome. Gord wants to avenge his family."

"He came in this place with Eudora," Estes added.

Chou's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean Eudora?! The one who electrocuted a thousand demons in a single blast?"

"Exaggeration," Tigreal said. "If Eudora were to do that, she'd be expending her whole energy and probably die. She roasted tens of thousands, but never a thousand at the same place and time. Either way, I never want to be in the receiving end of her magic."

Suddenly, a figure popped out from a puff of smoke. He wore a goofy magician's outfit and a big top hat. He looked very young, judging from his face and small figure.

"Oops, sorry guys. Wrong teleport," he said, then blinking to another spot. He drew cards from his jacket pockets, each lit aflame. The cards penetrated the targets in the range and ignited them. The cards then went back to him like a boomerang, floating around him.

"Spade, Heart, Diamond, Club… Wait, where's Ace and Joker?" He asked. Two cards then flew next to him, one with an "A" symbol and the other with a jester's face.

"There you are!" He then tucked them back in his pockets and teleported again.

"Harley, leading magician of the Magic Academy for Kids," Beta informed. "Age: 12, Power: High. Card Master and Trickster of Fire. Portal blowback led to reaching Dimension 15 then Dimension 73, our current one."

"The portal Harley was accessing in his timeline was damaged by Alice's minions," Estes clarified. "After the portal blowback, the time from all the other dimensions suddenly stopped, leaving only Dimension 73, the dimension we live in, the only one left standing."

Lolita was confused. "Wait, if Saber, Alpha and this Johnson traveled through time, why didn't it cause drawbacks?"

Alpha, still grinning, answered, "Cyborg Chronosphere maintains alignment. No alteration of timeline and events. Got Johnson, same timeline. No problem. Met Rooney, same timeline, no problem. Met-"

"Wait, you met Rooney?!" Bruno exclaimed.

"Accessing File#758, Rooney. Processing..." Beta said. "Unauthorized file share detected. Maintaining standard rejection procedures."

"Meaning: secret," Alpha added. Alucard read his mind. It's still fuzzy, but he felt a twinge in his heart. Something must've hurt Alpha.

Beta said, "Preparation Phase: 79% complete. Requirements: Few More Allies. Completion initiates Defensive Directive. Deadline: 3 Weeks, 4 Days, 8 Hours. Maintain standard issue protocol."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'deadline'?" Bruno wondered.

Estes replied, "Their Cyborg Chronosphere contains glimpses of the future. Blurry, but comprehensible. We have about 3 and a half weeks before the clash begins."

" _And during that clash, the Crystals will begin to merge…"_ Alucard thought. _"We have to hold them off for a week. How could we even do that?"_

"For now, you're assigned to your temporary houses," Tigreal told them. "Bruno, Layla, Lolita, you're in A5. Alucard, your group is residing in Camps 1-25. Your tent is numbered 2. Chou will be in A6, along with other fellow allies. Alpha will resume border patrol until Saber and Johnson arrive with the geographic scans."

Layla sighed. "What a month we're going to have."

Alucard used the map in order to find the camp. Even with his frequent visits with Layla, he still had difficulty maneuvering around the whole place. He was able to find the location. Of course, with a couple of times being misled.

Yinsen and Ruby were on the entrance, chatting. Ruby saw Alucard and waved. He waved back.

"Hey, what's up?" Yinsen greeted. "This place looks sick, man! We should've sworn allegiances with other communities a long time ago!"

Ruby grinned. "So this is the Land of the Dawn."

"You're right," Alucard said. "Anyway, I have to talk to Victor about the plans. We might be able to help."

"I am going," Ruby requested.

"Sure thing, no problem. Yinsen, take a break, dude. You're sleepiness is showing. You can rotate watch with Horst."

Yinsen, half-asleep, slurred, "Huh?"

"Seriously. Get some sleep."

While walking through the camps, Ruby asked Alucard, "How were you in the clan?"

Alucard shrugged. "Tons of things to settle when you first coexist with them. They aren't brutal trainers. They believe that unlocking a person's potential requires time and discipline. That's why our code is strict."

"I never really asked this… But what's with your arm? I have been wishing to ask you that ever since I saw it. It leaves me baffled," Ruby added.

Alucard grimaced. "I don't know. They never told me. Most probable reason is that the demons probably tried to demonize me."

Ruby's eyes widened. "They tried to turn you into one of them?!"

"That's what I know. I read the manual and guidebooks, and it's the most likely case."

"Must be tough having an arm like that."

Alucard faintly smiled. "Not that all bad. Nothing bad has ever happened to me since. Well, I could read minds, but I am really not up for that kind of thing. I have my own rules in terms of privacy."

"But you could, right?" Ruby interrogated. "Read minds, I mean."

"I would if necessary. All information comes in the right time. How about you? How was your life like after… you know?"

Ruby slowly hung her head.

"Oh, wait. I shouldn't have said that. Sorry," Alucard apologized. "Yep, should've kept that in mind."

"No, no, it's fine," Ruby replied. "It's just, I can't seem to live with the facts. It's hard to lose someone you hold dear. It has changed us."

"We're very much alike," Alucard pointed out. "We'll get through this together." He put his hand on her shoulder. "We can change the future."

Suddenly, Victor walked up to them. "Oi, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Estes has plans to join communities of different regions to finish the preparation phase. The Genesys Gem-"

"I know, I know," Victor assured. "I am just asking the next course of action."

Ruby said, "They will go to the Wastelands to obtain the 3rd shard. So far, nothing else."

"We will have our training tomorrow," Alucard added. "It's best we rest."

"Go on now, then," Victor ordered. "Time to end this long night."

The duo walked to their tent. Yes, tent without the 's'. They're sleeping on the same tent.

No malice intended. Victor believed Alucard is the one who mostly knows about Ruby. And in order to avoid any unnecessary event (huehuehuehue), they adjusted the tent size, making their cots slightly farther away than usual.

Alucard rested his Greatsword on his stuff. Ruby just sat on her cot, clutching her necklace.

"How do you get your weapons?" Ruby asked. "I've heard about this from the others. Wanted clarification."

"We choose what we use, and we live with it for the rest of our lives," Alucard explained. "Unusual rule, but it's worked fine with all of us."

"I got this scythe from our backyard," Ruby narrated, pointing at it, which was from the other side of the cot. "It was just a simple sickle. Didn't know it was enchanted."

"You need not explain. I could just read your mind anytime."

Ruby asked, "Are you doing it now?"

"I have my own regulations in terms of privacy. You know that, right?" They laughed.

"Well, goodnight then, Ruby," Alucard said, lying on the cot.

"Same to you, Alucard."


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Word for the Destined**

Bruno is having fun.

Their house has all their requests handed out to them. Next Gen video game console with a curved UHD TV? Check. Double door fridge with modified cooling and segregation system? Check.

Insane simulation chamber for playing football and sparring? Double Check.

Layla and Lolita are enjoying the built-in tech lab. All this is because they're living with Alpha, Saber and Johnson for the next few weeks. Yes, A5.

"Jeez, how much tech is present here? Not even Eruditio can hold this stuff!" Lolita exclaimed.

Beta answered, "Time travel to gain new technology. Multi-splicing and vivisection to unlock tech potential. Outcome: Better AIs and Exoskeletons. Good for combat and hostile eradication. Time jump desynchronized. Cannot traverse. Destroy Dreadmare Chest for unlock."

"The Dreadmare Chest is where the original Dark Lord's soul is imprisoned after the first war," Alpha said. "Nasty. Nasty. World on lockdown. No escape."

"But the Chest itself can be destroyed. You said so yourself," Layla pointed out.

"By the use of the Genesys Gem. And we need all the shards. Outside interference prevents easy access. Risk factors increased by 186%," Beta said.

"And the only way is the hard way," Bruno mumbled. "How difficult is it to obtain a shard?"

"We depend on environment and inhabitants," Alpha replied. "Instanalysis processes specific factors faster. 1st shard, very easy! 2nd shard, superb! 3rd shard, bad business. Me not like."

Beta added, "Prophecy unclear. Has double meanings. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst."

"Prophecy?" Bruno asked.

Alpha immediately said, "Not I will tell. Ask Estes."

They heard a knock on the door. Lolita opened it and saw Chou.

"What're you doing here?"

"Roommates aren't there yet," he replied. "It's a bit lonely."

Beta asked, "Request A6 residents' names for verification."

"Me, Fanny, Hayabusa and Zhao."

The drone blipped and floated back to Alpha, who was assessing himself.

"Anyway, we need to talk about the stuff around here," Lolita urged.

"Nah, we need to take a chill pill," Bruno replied. "Sure, this is some serious matter, but we have to take it step by step."

"I recommend the former," Alpha said.

Lolita smirked at Bruno, then proceeded talking.

"Alpha, how many nations have converged in for this event?"

"All."

Chou responded, "So that's accounts for Eruditio, Iga, Onmyouji, this place, Megalith, Nost Gal…"

"Correction. Borderlands unresponsive."

Bruno explained, "He must be referring to the other lands Estes talked about. But seriously, why all of this? If anything, this invasion would be involving like, millions of individuals in play."

"Prophecy." The three friends looked at Alpha.

"There was some prophecy present?" Lolita asked.

Alpha dejectedly shook his head. "Not for me to say."

So they decided to go to the Demon Hunters' camp.

They needn't wake up Alucard. He and Ruby were too restless too sleep. They remained awake, discussing the situation at hand.

But here's how it went down.

"Wait, where's Alucard's tent again?"

Layla replied to Chou, "The second one, right next to the headquarters. He's with Ruby, right?"

Bruno cringed. "The girl with the scythe? I really am not used to seeing those things. Take it from me, who has protected our hometown with bigger threats."

"Relax, mate," Chou said. "She can't be that bad. Right, Alpha?"

Alpha then blurted out, "Argument invalid. Her psychological levels are spiking. Bad past. Try not to bring it up. Don't make it too obvious, though."

"From what I can manage, she's like, 14," Lolita added as they walked up to the camp entrance.

"Another invalid statement. Subject is 18 years old, 2-3 years younger than all of you," Alpha clarified.

Chou's jaw was beginning to drop dead. "Dude. What?"

"Let's not mind that," Bruno urged. "We're here for the prophecy."

They walked up to Alucard's tent, surprisingly alight.

"Yoohoo, are you guys still awake?" Layla asked.

Ruby exited the tent and saw the five friends. "Yeah, we are. You must be Alucard's buddies, right?"

Alpha replied, "Yes. You must be Ruby. We need to have a word with Alucard."

Beta spoke, "Request classified information. Knowledge is power. Ignorance diminishes vigilance."

Ruby's eyes scrunched. "What for?"

"Again, classified," Lolita pressed. Alucard popped out of the tent.

"Oh, hey guys. Why so late at night?"

"We're here to get this 'prophecy of old' from Estes," Layla responded, making quotation marks in the air.

"We were about to discuss that," Alucard said. "I'll join you."

"Me too," Ruby added.

The group nodded as they trudged towards the citadel.

As they went for the palace doors, they were unlucky to find it locked.

"Ah, great. Now what?" Chou grumbled.

"What are you doing here?" a voice called out.

The group got startled and looked behind them. The voice came from the Valkyrie they saw back at the underground chamber.

"Wait, you're the Valkyrie from before," Alucard noted.

She held out her hand. "I forgot to introduce myself. Freya, lead Valkyrie of Nost Gal. What seems to be the case?"

Bruno replied, "We just want to find out where the Sacred Library is. Of course, we wouldn't want to trudge in without permission."

Freya faintly smiled. "Don't worry. Our Kingship rarely prohibits access. I am the one rounding the patrol here. I'll help you."

Throughout the walk, she was their guide to reaching the library by traversing a maze of rooms and corridors.

"What brings you to the Land of the Dawn?" Ruby asked.

Freya said, "Nost Gal was once a peaceful nation. I and the Viking leader, Franco, assisted each other to preserve order. But there came a time where a demon wave was imposed on Nost Gal. They were so many, we thought we couldn't hold them off. Luckily, there was some unexpected aid."

(At this point, Alucard's mind picked up a slight signal of uneasiness from the Valkyrie's thoughts. He decides to nudge in about this for a later time.)

"And by the time we thought things couldn't get any worse, Bane resurrected from Davy Jones' Locker."

"Yeah, Estes told us," Bruno added. "Was he on the hunt for the Vikings?"

"Not really," Freya replied. "Bane is Franco's archenemy, but judging from his activity, he seems to be rushing for help. He's building alliances and truces to increase his power. Only a few of his foolish lackeys dared fight us."

"We only took note of this worldwide phenomenon a few months ago. Franco put more than a half of his troops here while he and a few select officers of his help in patrols and finding the Shards."

"Why would Bane be on the run for his own help?" Alpha asked. "As Lord of the Seas, something must've crapped his pants."

Layla snickered. "Maybe he has something to do with all this."

"That's what we hoped for," Freya continued. "One of our original plans was for the Vikings and Pirates to form a truce. Unfortunately, we had no chance to carry it out due to the successive activity present."

"There's also the issue with one of the elemental guardians, Aurora. For now, we don't know whose side she is on. And judging from the fact we have approximately 3 and a half weeks left, we're actually lagging behind."

"The Queen of the North?" Alucard asked. "Heard that she lost an arm of hers during a battle."

Freya grimaced. "She lost it as she was trying to prevent chaos among the Vikings and Pirates. She responded by generating a blizzard with insane frostbite. Neither side has recuperated easily. She now sits in solitude, we, unaware of her actions."

They now reached the Sacred Library. "What were you getting again?"

"The Prophetic Parchment," a voice said. Out of the shadows popped Hayabusa from one of the library's tables. He was still in his combat uniform.

Chou's eyes widened. "How did he get here?"

"I was watching your every move. I guard the halls with these shadows."

"Hayabusa is the newly appointed Shadow of Iga," Freya continued. "He has mastered the use of light's absence and used it not only for his own benefit."

He disappeared, and after a few seconds, came back with a scroll in hand. It looked very old, and it had two golden rollers on either end.

"I assume this is what you've been looking for." He plopped it to a nearby desk and unfurled it.

The group peered in for a better look. On it were words from an ancient language too old for them to decipher. On it were black and white images, portraying unclear events.

"You could've asked it from me," Freya said, rolling her eyes. "But the whole package will suffice."

Beta spoke, "Data banks cannot identify language. Scanners unreliable for information processing. Request assistance."

Alpha replied, "All I know is that this was written in the Sacred Text invented by our ancestors."

"Let me read it for you," Freya suggested. She began to recite the text.

 _ **There will come a time of catastrophe  
Which will spread chaos and infamy  
The fallen evil will resurface  
And will attempt to disassemble the carapace**_

"Disassemble the carapace?" Ruby wondered.

"There were different writers of this text. One was assigned to write this stanza," Alpha assured. "He once believed the world lay on a huge turtle's shell. Without the shell, the globe is doomed. Hence, disassemble the carapace. Destroy order."

Freya continued,

 _ **There will arise specters and nightmares  
All coming from a chest named Dreadmare  
The Sorceress and the wicked Seductress  
Will inevitably break the Holy Harness**_

"A chest named Dreadmare?" Bruno exclaimed. "Alpha, you were talking about it a few hours ago. You said WE could destroy it."

Freya said, "Take note. Prophecies may have double meanings. Alpha here can only speak the truth. It's a violation for him to lie without any appropriate reason."

Layla asked in a worried tone, "So we cannot stop the breaking of the bonds?"

Chou told her, "Unfortunately, it seems so. But we can still destroy the chest. How?"

"Wait," Alucard halted them. "It says here that these two women, most likely Vexana and Alice, will free the chest. But the Dark Lord's soul resides there."

Hayabusa stepped in. "We may not prevent the chest from being free, but we can destroy the chest by vanquishing the Dark Lord. Only in that time where in the ethereal evil will scatter and fade into the stars."

"Time to continue," Freya reminded. She began reciting the text.

 _ **But fear not, for the light remains  
Act with haste, and it will be retained  
Through the warriors of old and new  
The shards of an artifact, they will pursue**_

"That's us. The Land of the Dawn is the light of this planet," Alucard said. "We're to find the shards to reassemble the Genesys Gem, but we need to act fast."

"Nice analysis," Hayabusa complimented. "Estes has fulfilled a piece of this prophecy. I am glad he took note of all it harbors."

"Warriors of old and new," Freya muttered. "Many of us here are so unique, yet are forced to act as one."

Lolita was trying to reel in all the information. "The poem is not done?"

Freya replied, "It's lengthy. What did you expect?"

Everyone laughed. A bit inappropriate, but well needed.

"Okay, okay," said Layla. "Freya, what's next?"

She continued,

 _ **Be wary of the werewolf with a cause  
Accompanied by a girl of red, of blood and awe  
An unknown gunslinger, a hybrid Protector  
And a miniature elf outfitted with tough ardor**_

"A girl of red, that's me," Ruby clarified. "Clint is the gunslinger, Bruno is the hybrid Protector, due to his enhancements…"

"While I am the one with passion," Lolita added. "The prophecy is technically stating everyone."

"A guide for Estes to know who to immediately recruit!" Alpha said.

 _ **The archer with arrows of light  
Pierces the sky with a Dragon Knight  
The three carbon soldiers tread in the field  
Showing not a single sign that they will yield**_

"Pierces the sky?" Chou made a confused face. "Well, we know that Miya and Yun Zhao are the ones being mentioned here…,"

Alpha then stated that the three soldiers were him, Saber and Johnson.

 _ **The Hovering Blade dances through the trees  
The Yellow master's potential will be set free  
The Doppelganger gathers, the Orcs will cleave  
Along with Megalith, salvation shall they receive**_

"Me and Fanny," Chou replied.

"Balmond and Hilda are in play, and the Prophecy confirms that they will live on to the end," Alucard says. "But who is the Doppelganger? That cannot be Hayabusa."

"I cannot confirm," Hayabusa pronounces. "If anything, our roster remains incomplete."

 _ **The Magicians blue, their powers they will sew  
To gather the energy that makes life anew  
They will sacrifice the essence of life  
To flourish a world without conflict and strife  
**_

Freya immediately replied, "All of the magicians are included here, except Nana and Harley. Their powers don't match along with the others."

Bruno and Layla were thinking hard. "Sew their powers? That means combine!"

Lolita orated, "Gather the energy that makes life anew. Was it referring to the Gem?"

"That, we will never know until the end," Alucard assures dejectedly. "But I fear they will die after the battle ceases."

"No time for pity. Let's get going," Freya commands.

 _ **A young mage and her furry friend  
Find the Shadow who searches his fiend  
Forbidden to touch, forgotten to love  
Taught once more by an angel from above**_

Alucard sensed Hayabusa shuddering. "Yo, what's wrong?"

He hesitated to speak, but then said, "Nothing, I'm fine. I'll explain later."

Alpha asked, "That's you, right? The Shadow." Hayabusa nodded.

"Why 'forbidden to touch, forgotten to love'? Is this literal?" Chou didn't speak further, for he felt something dark in the Shadow of Iga. He wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed to pain him.

"Let's not delve into that," Alucard replied. "Who is the furry friend and angel?"

Again, no one knew. If Hayabusa did know, he didn't seem to be too open for it.

 _ **The Gunner of Blue lags behind  
For fear and shame plagues her mind  
But she will not cease to exist  
For family is her weapon, peace is her wish**_

Layla seems to deny what the Prophecy stated for her. "I don't want to be in the back. I want to help you all."

Alucard decided to comfort her. "Hey, it's okay. You're valuable. And besides, your weapon is us. If anything, you're the peacekeeper."

"Fear and shame?" Alpha asked.

Ruby said, "She hides secrets. She will open up in the right time." Layla's eyes widened, which led to Ruby saying this in a panic, "Calm down, Layla. I don't even know what you're hiding."

 _ **Silence charges through the night  
Regretting the decision that changed his life  
He who betrays will ask forgiveness  
So that he may perish with the mark of gladness**_

"This is a full stanza that we weren't able to decipher," Freya said. "Then again, we never opened the prophecy to anyone who wasn't willing or worthy enough."

"Silence is figurative. A person being mentioned. Lacking information. Cannot exact," Beta answered.

"Are two people being referred to here?" Alucard interrogated. "Or is it just one?"

"I can only assume that only one is being mentioned here," Lolita replied.

 _ **A Knight of Gold and his deceptive friend  
Hath uncovered the start of this quest  
The beast inside is something to fear  
Along with the Golem with a tower he holds dear**_

"Let me guess," Bruno said, raising his hand. "Tigreal and Natalia?"

Layla's eyebrows scrunched. "Why would Natalia be deceptive?"

"Natalia was an Elite Assassin from the Church of Assassins, somewhere in the far end of this place," Hayabusa assured. "During one of her missions, she failed. Luckily, Tigreal came to her aid. Now, she resides here to leave the dark past that scarred her."

"She's really good in doing things you won't expect," Freya added. "And try not to fall for her."

"Fall for her?" Chou was confused. Hayabusa gave him a wink. Chou then was alarmed, because he now knew what Freya meant.

"There were some parts of the Prophecy erased by demons," Alpha said.

"Wait, demons tried to take this?" Alucard exclaimed. "Why?"

"Even if the Dark Lord was defeated, his influence was still strong. The demons decided that destroying the last remnant of the world's fate will prevent anyone from expecting this cataclysm," Freya replied.

"Only a Holy Angel will be able to recover this," Hayabusa said. "Don't worry, there's still more."

 _ **Vikings and Pirates will form a truce  
The Heart of Ice shall make them refuse  
The watery fleet and the tribe of green  
Must act in haste to keep the peace**_

"Franco knows of this prophecy," Hayabusa says. "He trusts what it proclaims. What he fears…"

"Is Aurora," Freya finalizes. "Like said, she has never changed."

"New allies confirmed," Beta spoke. "Opt to make alliances."

"Korea and Makadan are the most likely to engage in the war with us," Hayabusa continues. "However, judging from what is written, they can only introduce themselves in the right time… presumably, the calling of the truce."

 _ **Two female assassins with similar names  
Pure damage, they harness, all the same  
Two Blond Lovers in the place called Swan  
Are destined to die, before the Rising Sun**_

"Estes probably didn't introduce us with these two assassins," Bruno popped. "But… with similar names?"

"Karina and Karrie, of the Night Elves and of the Alaghat Empire," Freya explains. "They are on recon duty. You may see them at some point in time."

Alucard thought deeply. "Who are the lovers?"

"We cannot determine," Alpha said. "Says on the Ocular Sun that there is some part of the globe interfering its sense. Magical barriers clouding the place. We are to locate it on foot next week."

"We think it's the Swan Castle," Hayabusa replies. "Somewhere in the South of the Moniyan Regions. We could only get so much data, but this is the end of the scroll."

"Wait, what?" Ruby was taken aback. "Then, it's incomplete?"

"No. Estes took the 2nd part and imprinted it on his Codex. Only he could access it and view it to you."

"Then we settle this tomorrow," Chou says. "Estes says we have to practice our combat skills, so we have to prepare."

"And get the sleep you'll need. I'll be in touch." As he said this, Hayabusa disappeared within the blink of an eye, casting no shadow.

"Hm, subtle," whispers Layla.

Freya motions the group back home after they return the scroll. "Don't let the prophecy envelop too much. You need to focus."

The others bade goodbye, except Alucard, who decided to privately talk to Freya.

He started, "I can read minds, Freya. I knew you felt off when we were chatting in the halls. I chose not to intrude your mind, for you would know and probably destroy the trust you have for us."

"I understand," she replies. "If only it was the time to tell you, then you would comprehend what lies in your life, especially the past."

"What about my past?" he questions, feeling confused. "I don't remember anything about it."

"All of what happens, happens for a proper reason, Demon Hunter," Freya finishes. "One day, you will know the truth, and you will know why you are here. Up until next time, Alucard." She unfurled the golden ethereal wings on her back and flew to the dark sky, fleeting off to the peaceful wood.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Trading Blows**

Now, dear Reader, as the Narrator, I really need to intrude in this book for a few times to talk to you. Well, maybe not a few times, but still.

As the author of a product which may never be finished (probably), I will truly understand if you will complain why there are some few characters not yet introduced or why some have to be omitted, by any means. Most likely, they're the characters you favor the most.

Please, remember I am merely a teenager with a life, not a one-man factory. I lose patience as well.

I designated this story to contain the heroes within the specific patch note with the new mage hero, Zhask. Now, you know who are included and who aren't. Each may be so with important roles, and some probably of none. Please understand. I want to create a fixed plot.

Never, ever complain about the following.

1\. Why isn't Miya, Layla, etc. the main character? Isn't she the first hero?

2\. Why does the story take so long? Where is the action?

3\. What is the next part of the prophecy?

4\. Why isn't Clint or Roger or Alpha the main character? Aren't they cool for you?

5\. Why-

SHUT UP. PLEASE.

I am not one to share secrets that will spoil your reading experience. Complain nonsense, and you would be categorized as a cancerous reader. If anything, you are just as impatient in playing as so in reading.

(Probably why most of you aren't of Legend Rank or higher. You lack patience. And self-control.)

Though, I'll let you in on one piece of information. Alucard is the main character.

BUT, we aren't here to use his point of view all the time. In this chapter, I'll give way to a few characters so that their stories will be unraveled.

That's all for today. Arcturus420, signing out.

(And please, try not to look at the very last page. No, there's nothing scary. Only profound things you cannot fully contain.)

Here we go!

Wait, where was I?

Oh, yeah!

The sparring matches!

Psyche! Not those for now.

We're here to talk about the girl with the umbrella!

Yes.

It's Kagura.

Don't worry, the sparring matches are coming up as well.

This is just a Canon One-shot. Because I am kind and courteous.

Kagura and Akai were strolling off into the woods, feeling a bit too carefree. Though, they didn't forget their one personal task.

"Why are you searching for Hayabusa again?" Akai asked her. "You were friends right?"

She hung her head. They were friends, but they were forcibly separated.

"You wouldn't understand," Kagura replied. "It's a complicated sitch."

Akai weakly smiled, putting his cane over his shoulder. "Kagura, I've been with you for a long time, protecting you. I'm here to fulfill my promise to keep you safe. You can trust me. And besides, Frogger here-"(he points at the frog on his straw hat) "-tells me he's no stranger in your life."

They stop for a moment as Kagura leans on the trunk of an oak tree, clutching her open umbrella. The breeze was slightly blowing her white hair to the opposite direction.

"Hayabusa and I, we may seem like friends, but I can tell."

Akai became concerned. Mastery of his meditation could help him tell if Kagura was beating herself up emotionally.

She continued. "But there was this time when things took off for the worst. And everything fell."

The memories haunted her again. The swift shadow, piercing her friends and neighbors with ghostly kunai.

"It was that day when everything became clear to me. If only I…" Kagura started to weep. Bringing it up is painful for her to bear, as she is struggling to find who she longs for.

She went down on her knees. Akai rushed to her, helping her up. The wind slowly died down.

"Hey, hey. Sorry for asking. Didn't know you were that sensitive," he comforted.

"You never knew," Kagura said. "Those without knowledge are to be taught. They who violate with mind are to be disciplined."

"He told you that," Akai realized. "That quote. You keep repeating that during your training."

"It was the only way to remind me of who he was in my life. It was never simple."

Suddenly, they heard the sound of plopping footsteps.

She suddenly looked up. Sure enough, there was a carriage strolling up on the brown, fine pathway dividing the forest.

Kagura squinted. "Isn't that…"

"It's a carriage from the Land of the Dawn. What's it doing far off the kingdom? We're probably 22 leagues far from the place."

They walked up to the driver. Akai asked, "Hello, sir! What seems to be the case?"

The driver, a Secret Service Royal Messenger, examined them.

"So it is you," he said. "The coordinates Estes gave me were correct. I am right on time."

"Wait, what?" Akai was confused, scratching his head with a furry paw.

The driver chuckled. "Never fear, my companions. Estes, the Elven King, ordered me to escort you to the kingdom immediately. You are in need."

"Why is that?" asked Kagura.

"Haven't you heard? The stories are true. It's only a matter of time before hell breaks loose. And don't worry about your personal search, he's there anyway. He probably won't be eager to talk-"

He was interrupted by Kagura. "Wait, you mean…"

The driver sighed. "Yes. So, what are you waiting for?"

Meanwhile...

Our beloved heroes rose early to participate in the training. They're not really too eager for it, but they're willing.

Yun Zhao didn't need sleep. Numerous time travels have prevented him from being prone to needs like these. He rarely eats, because he still needs to. As he slices off the training holograms, the 2nd early bird arrived. It was Miya.

"You're too early," she said.

"You know I don't need sleep, right?"

She walked up to him. "Well, we're in this huge catastrophe that we're most likely gonna fail to fix, so there's that."

Zhao sliced off the last hologram in half. The AI PA announcer said, "Situation 152 Complete. Battle Rate: 100%. Targets Destroyed: 206. Hits Received: 0."

Miya was impressed. "Nice!"

The spearman shrugged. "Meh. I am actually a bit bored. However, I can't wait to spar with the new recruits."

"Promise me you'll go easy on them," the archer replies.

"Depends if I am willing." Zhao laughed, walking up to the seats.

"If you won't keep that promise, just remember that I can hit your left eye a mile away!" Miya jokes as she walks up to the range.

(Actually, she NEARLY did do that. One time, when she was testing her speed, she fired too fast, forcing an arrow of hers to fly sky-high. It was a miracle that Yun Zhao's predictions enabled him to block the arrow right before it hit his face.)

The heroes converged. Surprisingly, the mages couldn't be seen anywhere.

"That's odd," Lolita noticed this. "None of the mages are here."

Alpha, who just arrived via Beta, said, "The mages are training with Estes, as they try to hone in their magic. It's not fit for them to really be in here."

Bruno, Alucard, Ruby, Chou and Layla showed up as well. The Protector slid up (yes, literally) to the elf.

"So, how's the start of the day? As planned?"

Ruby replied, "Not too crowded. Seems fine." She was holding the huge scythe, something that Chou couldn't resist but be in awe.

"I mean no offense," Chou started. "But isn't that thing too heavy for you?"

Ruby just smiled. Then, she made a quick downward slash that made a huge cut in the ground. After a split second, she was back to the original stance.

"Okay," Chou nodded humorously. "Point made."

Hayabusa, fortunately, just walked up to them, wearing the same uniform he wore last night.

"Let's be patient," he says to them. "The training protocols are still being applied to the equipment, to suit your combat styles."

"Why is everything planned out to the exact detail?" Alucard questioned.

"Again, we can never be truly ready. We can only be ready enough," Hayabusa replies, as he teleports into the shadows once more, only to appear on the other side of the arena, chatting with Zhao.

"Have you ever thought of the fact that Hayabusa doesn't need to walk too often?" Layla asks.

Beta, who was floating on Alpha's head, said, "Shadow phasing costs energy in terms of multiple uses in one sitting. Using it once every minute reserves 95% of Hayabusa's energy. Previous scans indicate extremities in his former training."

"Maintaining his title is no joke," Chou added. Out of the corner of his eyes, Fanny flew toward them in her training gear, landing with both her feet against the wall. A visible scar can be seen on her right arm.

Lolita greeted her, but then was taken aback due to the scar. "Hey, Fanny! How's- wait what the actual f-"

"Language!" Alucard stopped her before things got out of hand. "I thought you were supposed to be healing," he said to the flier.

"Estes's new spells really help a lot," she replied. "I can continue practicing, though I am not allowed to go above the border." She hopped down, her hooks letting go of the wall.

"Any new update?" Ruby asked.

"A new batch of heroes will be coming in after 2 days. A squadron will be dispatched later in order to search the 3rd crystal. The others are to stay or wait for command. Wait, you're Ruby, right?"

The girl nodded. "Why? Something wrong?"

Fanny shook her head. "Nothing. You just seem awfully familiar." She continued talking.

"If you've heard the prophecy, then you know that we are to make a truce with the Snow Queen."

Alpha asked, "When?"

"Somewhere around an hour after lunch. We will designate the nearby portal's coordinates to reach her kingdom in the fastest way possible. The Valkyrie, Freya, and Franco, are joining in, obviously."

"What of Bane?" Layla asked.

"Estes and Freya have now come in contact with him. They say the pirate is in distress. They hinted no lie or hypocritical action. Hell, there's even a bit of interference. And there's no interference in marinal communications here in Gaius. They were nearing the Glass Beach an hour ago. We will rendezvous with them soon."

"But the prophecy. Something bad will happen," Alucard reminded. "How-"

"That's what we've been trying to do. We're to minimize any form of chaotic intent," Fanny replied. "We are NEGOTIATING with the Queen of Ice. For now, let's enjoy these sparring matches."

The PA Announcer blared right after the flier spoke. _"Please be advised, the sparring matches will occur in 5 minutes. The first match: Chou vs Zhao."_

Chou's eyes widened. "What?! I can't take on that dude! He's too fast."

"Well," said Alpha, "we assessed your physical limits when you got here. At some instances, you're faster than him. Just try to remain unpredictable. You can disarm that spear of his."

After a few minutes, the 2 combatants went into the center of the arena. A ton of people were watching them.

Bruno eyed a buff person with red skin and a huge axe. His brown hair flowed below his shoulders, his eyes gleaming with ferocity.

"That's Balmond," someone replied.

"Dammit, Hayabusa," Bruno shouted. "Try to warn me first before you ninjutsu me out."

"Sorry. Anyway, he's the leader of the Bloodaxe Orcs. Don't be too intimidated. He's actually noble of heart. Lost a couple of his comrades against Alice, though."

Meanwhile, the PA was announcing certain rules. _"1. Retain sportsmanship. 2. Use fair moves. And number 3. NEVER KILL. Please, we've had enough of that."_

Nearly everyone was laughing, even the Orc. Chou and Zhao nervously went into their starting posts.

"Just so you know, please take it easy," Chou said worriedly to the spearman who was inspecting his weapon.

"Don't worry," he replied. "I deem it honorable that you fight by your own. You bring no weapon."

"I _am_ the weapon, bud. And I am fragile."

Yun Zhao smirked. "We shall see."

The PA counted down. "3… 2… 1… Go!"

The Kung Fu Boy ran straight to Zhao, who was attempting to charge straight through, aligning his body with the spear. Chou dashed at the right time, nearly missing the flurry of strikes that followed by a few centimeters. After nearly a complete second, the Son of the Dragon turned around, taken aback to the fact Chou just barely missed the attack.

The crowd was in awe. Chou's friends just grinned. Zhao shook his head. He sprinted to Chou, who was still in shock. However, he had just enough time to react against Zhao's upward strike, blocking it. Yun followed with two roundhouse kicks, which were easily blocked as well.

The rally started as the two were trading hits, though none seemed to budge.

"I knew both fighters were fast, but them to be in a stalemate? Absolutely not," said Balmond, who was talking to Hilda.

"I agree. I wonder who'd give in," replied the female hunter, strictly observing the two warriors clash.

The trade ended as Chou struck Zhao with a palm strike, hitting the spearman until he actually flew a few feet before landing on his own two legs.

"I've got to admit. You're pretty tough," Chou heaved. "I assumed that taking that spear of yours away makes no difference."

"Don't make me test that out," teased Yun. This time, Chou charged. He easily dodged Zhao's forward kick.

 _Too simplistic,_ he thought, as he readied himself to deliver a huge roundhouse.

Unfortunately, that was a trick. Zhao, without looking, butted the martial master in three different places before putting him back into his view by the edge of his spear. He made a diagonal slash, which Chou barely dodged again, though it was too close. The soles of a shoe were torn off cleanly.

Chou was shocked. He nearly got crippled.

"Sorry about that," Yun apologized.

"C'mon now, I've got a lot more pairs to spare," replied Chou.

 _I have to disarm him. It really does even the playing field._ _I need to be faster._

"Shall we continue?" Zhao asked.

"Sure."

Zhao immediately charged the millisecond Chou replied back.

"Whoa!" Alucard unconsciously said. "That's insanely swift."

Zhao decided to fake his moves again. But Chou dashed differently.

Instead of trying to completely miss the attack, he simply sidestepped to the spearman's left.

Zhao wasn't expecting this, so he instantly made a high kick to Chou's ribs. The fighter blocked this, and quickly grabbed the spear.

But Zhao was holding it tightly. Chou had to kick Zhao again to disarm him, which he successfully did.

The crowd was cheering for either side as Chou retaliated by attacking via Zhao's spear. Nevertheless, Zhao was blocking all the attacks with his sapphire gauntlets.

Chou was desperately finding a weak spot somewhere. No matter where he struck, Zhao seemed to block the strike. The rally ended when Zhao landed an accurate chop on Chou's right skull, pinning him down until he got the spear again.

"Dammit, the dude's too fast for Chou!" Lolita exclaimed. "There's no way he can beat him."

The two fighters panted as they were back to where they started.

"That's a lot of fun," Chou breathed.

Zhao smiled. "Let's end this, shall we?" The spearman ran straight.

Chou dashed, but Zhao knew it was coming. He quickly rotated clockwise and got the hem of Chou's clothes with the tip of the spear. He flipped him back.

 _Not on my watch!_ Yun thought,

Suddenly, a huge amount of energy concentrated on Chou's leg. Right after the flip, Chou kicked Zhao on the face so hard that it made him a fly a couple of meters.

The crowd gasped.

"No way!" Fanny said, in awe.

"What the-" Layla started.

Chou instantly transitioned to Zhao in mid-air, kicking him again. As they rose higher, Chou's legs hammered Zhao like a mortar against a pestle. They gained much altitude.

Zhao couldn't retaliate. All parts of his body were being targeted. He may feel lesser pain than usual, but the force of those kicks were too great.

 _What the hell is happening?!_ Chou was internally screaming. He doesn't even know how he was doing this.

After the kick barrage, they realized they went higher than the arena itself. As they started falling, Chou balled a fist of chi, aimed straight to Zhao's chest.

As they landed, Chou generated a large force blast that generated winds that breezed on the spectators. Sadly, he missed, as Zhao rolled in the perfect moment. The spearman charged, but Chou kicked off the spear, breaking it in two.

Both fighters cast a roundhouse kick on their opponents' rights. They stopped once the calf reached their faces.

They put down their feet and shook their hands.

" _The winner of this clash remains undetermined! It's a tie!"_ The PA said.

The audience applaused.

"That was intense," Chou said.

"Don't kick too hard next time, dude," Zhao joked as they went back to their sides.

Bruno was jumping up and down and high-fived Chou hard. "DUDE! HOW IN THE WORLD DID THAT EVEN F-"

"I DON'T KNOW," Chou yelled, equally elated.

Meanwhile, Zhao was grinning due to the intensity of the match.

Miya walked up to him. "That was insane."

"I know, right?" Yun replied. "I didn't even know he'd be that strong."

"Well, it seems Zhao here has made the stalemate," someone called. It was Clint.

"Gotta say, it's unexpected," Zhao said to him. "Wait, I thought you are going to the Wastelands with Hilda and Balmond?"

"We'll do so later," Clint assured. "Estes got a couple of stuff in his hands to rummage and fix."

The AI PA blared once more for the next fight. _"The next battle… Hayabusa vs Karina!"_

Hayabusa, who was with Alucard and the others, didn't seem fazed about the announcement.

"Time to see who Karina is!" Alucard said. "She isn't too bad, right, Hayabusa?"

"Still bad," the ninja snickered. Out of the corner of their eyes, a night elf in elusive battle gear approached the arena, wielding two Hurricane Glaives. These forms of weapons include a pair of double blades fastened on one grip.

The night elf had slightly purple skin, and wore a slick headgear. Her blue hair is tied.

"Karina is the standout among the Night Elves," Hayabusa added. "She despises Miya, though."

"Why?" Lolita and Ruby asked at the same time. "JINX!"

"I don't know. Something about being too proud? I'll ask her." Hayabusa walked off the stalls rather than teleporting to avoid being too flashy.

Karina was eyeing her opponent. "Same old times, Shadow."

"Gotta get used to it at some point, Karina," the ninja replied. "Let's get to it."

Karina charged, brandishing her weapons. Hayabusa calmly and slowly puts his left hand on the grip of his sheathed blade. He closed his eyes.

"What is he doing?" Alucard asks.

"Concentrating," Alpha replies. "Proven effective."

Karina leaped, attempting to slash the "unaware" Shadow. Hayabusa suddenly opened his eyes and immediately brought out his golden blade, deflecting the attack. He then followed up with a rotating blade kick that lands right on Karina's stomach. She simply slid into the sandy ground, genuflecting.

"You've grown faster, my dear," Hayabusa compliments. "Try again."

Karina smiled. She simply dashes to slice the ninja, but Hayabusa deflects her attacks. She keeps on slashing on the knees, torso and head, but the gilded blade retaliates again and again.

But this is not what amazed Freya, who arrived late in the scene, going close to Miya. The fact that Hayabusa hasn't moved from his location since is unnerving.

"Wait, he hasn't moved at all!" Freya said. "He is improving."

"Still," Miya dejectedly says, "he won't be able to hold off those attacks."

Tired, Karina paces away from the ninja, who remains silent and motionless. In the blink of an eye, Hayabusa deploys 4 shadow clones from equidistant directions, a couple of meters away from him.

The Night Elf maintains her ground. She doesn't move, anticipating the next course of action.

"Why aren't they moving?" Bruno asked.

"What's this, a staring contest?" Layla joked.

"It's a mind game." Lolita answered. "Karina is waiting for Hayabusa to teleport somewhere on one of the shadows."

Karina is wedged accurately between two of the shadow clones. Hayabusa hasn't moved from the spot since. She decides to attack the shadows next to her. They simply collapsed into nothingness.

She decides to charge at Hayabusa, who has closed his eyes again. She pierces his chest, but he dissolved as well.

She then realized. He had teleported ago. LONG ago.

She turned her back. The two remaining shadows are now staring at her, arms crossed. She looked around. Two newly formed shadows appeared before her eyes. She was surrounded.

The crowd was gasping as the shadows have cornered the Night Elf.

"In all honesty, this seems scary, even in broad daylight," Miya says to Freya, Clint and Zhao.

"Any one of delusional mind would be crying home to mommy!" Clint replied jokingly.

The 4 shadows closed in on Karina. She had no choice but to spin around with her blades, in which she managed to dissolve all the shadows. But that meant one thing. The ninja was gone.

Out of the corner of her eye, the dissolved shadows converged as one mass, and Hayabusa himself appeared. He slashes at the assassin, who successfully parries the attack in time. She follows up with a cross slash onto the armor, which easily made a gash on the material. Hayabusa leaps back and releases 3 shurikens in a flash, which Karina barely deflected. The last shuriken grazed her forearm. Hayabusa sheathed his blade.

"Sorry about that," he apologized.

"At least the spar is fun," she replied. She dashes straight to the ninja. Hayabusa does the same, putting his left hand on the grip of his sheathed blade, and the other hand forming a "hush" sign on his lips.

 _I have to stop him from disappearing,_ the elf's mind raced.

She charged faster than usual, which surprised the Shadow of Iga. Hayabusa was forced to prematurely release the quad shadow. Karina saw this and waited for the right moment.

As Hayabusa teleports, the magic twin blades locked on him, and as he teleported to the farthest shadow, Karina did her signature move…

"Oh, no," Alpha said. "The Shadow Rush!"

 _You ain't getting away this time!_

Hayabusa turns around and sees Karina charging at him, figuratively, in the speed of light.

 _Sorry about this,_ he thinks.

"SHADOW KILL!"

Alucard, who was quietly reading their minds, didn't predict this.

 _Wait, what?!_

As Karina touched Hayabusa's armor with her blades, he dissolved. The second after that, a momentary shadow collapsed through Karina and slashed her, grazing her leg. The apparitions came every 1/3 of a second, and Karina was forced to cover herself with her twin blades to prevent any more cuts on her body. They didn't seem to bleed, but they did hurt.

"What's going on?!" Layla exclaimed.

"Ougi: Shadow Kill," Alpha replies. "Hayabusa materializes into the shadows and instantaneously barrages the enemy with shadow strikes. He can't be hit, and he will dodge anything. It hurts more after every successful hit. Unfortunately, this skill is spending lots of his energy."

Karina was yelping whenever a shadow hit her skin. She couldn't do anything but hold off the barrage, which was weakening her every second.

After a couple of seconds, the assault stopped. Karina's blades were scratched and bore marks of wear. Hayabusa appeared a couple of meters in front of her, breathing heavily, the golden sword on his left hand, supporting him to the ground.

Both assassins were spent and both had to call it off. Once again, it was a tie. Hayabusa stood up first, reaching out his hand to help Karina up.

"What in hell just happened?!" Karina complained. "I couldn't hit you."

"Now, you have witnessed the true power of the Shadow," Hayabusa replied. "It was a good match, though."

Hayabusa walked up to Alucard and company while Karina went to Zhao.

"What's with all that?" Karina asked. "That seemed unfair."

"He knew that you'd deflect all the attacks nonetheless," Miya said. "He is actually much faster than that. Consider yourself lucky."

"Consider yourself lucky we haven't feuded at least once, today, genius," the assassin spat.

"Hey now," Zhao wedged. "Don't start off another ruckus."

The last battle was on call. Everybody is muttering about, nervous on who would fight next.

The PA blasted once more. _"For the final match… Alucard vs Ruby!"_

"No way," Alucard denied. "After all the people the AI could pick."

"Seems like it's just us on the pavement, Alu," Ruby said, encouraging him to get up and walk to the arena. She had no difficulty of carrying the huge scythe.

Balmond and Hilda were snickering in the distance. Alucard read their minds, though he didn't have to do so to know what they're thinking. So he just telepathically said, _"DON'T even think about it."_

The two stopped, surprised.

As the red duo were on the pavement, Ruby said, "We'll go easy on each other, right?"

"Depends if we keep our promises," Alucard replied. "Please, avoid the violent stuff. We can halt if you need to."

The girl simply smiled. "Overprotective, huh?"

The Demon Hunter rolled his eyes. "I get that a lot." Both fighters simultaneously charged.

The other Demon Hunters were right on time to watch the fight.

"Wait, isn't that Alu?" Victor asked, squinting. "What's he doing there?"

"Fighting against Ruby," Yinsen absentmindedly answered. "Wait, fighting againt Ruby?!"

"That's not good," said Horst, Victor's 2nd in command.

Ruby suddenly reached out to Alucard with her hook, attempting to lure him in. The Demon Hunter was surprised as he found out the scythe could enlarge and extend. He jumped to his right, barely missing the sharp edge of the deadly reaper.

Alucard was really about to swear. "Mother of s-"

He was interrupted by Ruby's scythe, which whacked him on his chest, skidding him into the sandy asphalt.

"Oh, it's on, now," he said, tightly gripping the greatsword with his left hand. He somersaulted, attempting to deliver a crushing blow with the blade. Ruby leaped backward, missing the attack by a few inches. As the attack made contact with the ground, the earth shook a little. The attack generated a couple of cracks on the earth.

Ruby's eyes widened. She now knew it was no time for playing games.

"So, are we keeping our promises?" Alucard asked.

Ruby smiled. "We're very bad in doing so."

They charged again. Alucard slashed at the girl, who could deflect the force of such attacks with her scythe. She merely tried to poke and knock off Alucard with the covered outer edge of the scythe, which was really sturdy and solid.

"By the time Alucard gets pulled by Ruby, he's a goner," Fanny concludes. "He couldn't get in range. He has to get behind."

"How would he do that?" Alpha asks.

"No clue," Chou replies.

The rally ended as Alucard hits Ruby's stomach, stunning her. He attempts to knock off the scythe with his sword. As he comes in contact with it, he is the one who gets blown back.

"Wha-" he says as he stumbles. "How?!"

He notices.

"No. No… don't tell me you're having another episode!"

Ruby's eyes were completely red. The pretty face of hers became frightening. She walked up to the Demon Hunter, readying the scythe.

"Okay, Ruby. Calm down. Put the scythe away," he says, using his arms to motion her out.

She basically responded with a slash, which Alucard easily dodged.

"I know you're still in there. Fight those thoughts. Find your peace!"

The spectators knew there was something wrong.

"What's going on?" Hilda asks.

"The girl has gone rogue!" Victor shouts. "Restrain her!"

Soon enough, the Demon Hunters fled to the scene, readying nets and ropes to secure the insane Ruby.

Alucard realizes this, so he tries to push them off.

"Wait, wait! Don't touch her! You're only making her even angrier!"

"That's it, time to intervene!" Bruno yelled as he kicked a holographic ball directly at Ruby's face. Without looking, Ruby spun around with the scythe. The ball ricocheted and landed on Bruno's forehead, stunning him.

"Not cool!" Layla says, rushing up to the battlefield.

Hayabusa appears right next to Alucard, helping him out.

"Ruby, calm down. It's us. Don't hurt us," he comforts.

"There will be no 'us'!" Ruby exclaims, in a different voice. The crowd clamors and trembles.

"The evil has come for all of you, especially you," she says, pointing at Alucard.

"Ruby, you have to fight it!" Chou says. "You're stronger than this."

"Do you wish to put down all the hopes of this world much sooner? Then be my guest. The Dark Lord laughs at your graves!" She proceeded to leap very high, slamming the scythe to Alucard.

He was pinned down, lying on his back. He was trying very hard to push the scythe off with his sword (because the tip of it was millimeters away from shredding his nose). The others couldn't get close to the girl, as the dark aura manifesting in her grew stronger.

"Foolish boy!" she exclaims, in a much deeper voice. "I have come to vanquish your kingdom and everyone in it! Do you think you have bought precious time by putting all the fish in one barrel? You cornered yourselves!"

"That's not her talking," Alpha said. "Request immediate release of Class A Tranquilizers."

"Alpha, don't!" Lolita says. "Who on earth is talking?"

"Who cares about the messenger?" the voice says. "Listen to my threats! I am coming for you, Demon Hunter, and you will suffer as much as your parents did! How worthless were they when my servants flayed them down!"

Alucard was really straining. He didn't even realize that he was gripping the greatsword with his right hand.

The one thing he **SHOULD NOT** do.

"And what about your friends and loved ones? They all hope to survive this war. But they'll die for you, for it's my decision to make you suffer, Alucard!"

 _That does it._

Alucard's eyes blazed with hellfire.

"No!" Yinsen exclaimed. It was too late.

"Let her go." Alucard said, almost in the form of a shout. The energy was growing stronger…

"Wait… is that…" Freya notices.

"Alucard! Don't!" Zhao yells.

The greatsword radiated.

"Let her go!" Alucard yelled, pushing the sword harder.

"Alucard! Let go of the sword!" Victor exclaims.

"I said…"

"NO!"

"LET HER GO!"

A huge wave of energy blast forth from within the greatsword. Everybody was knocked off from the blast. Poor Ruby got the worst, for she actually flew a few meters before hitting the ground.

Alucard heavily exhaled. The sword stopped radiating, and he received a headache. He clumsily stood up.

Everybody was absolutely done for. Even Karina was trying to help up a dazed Balmond. Tigreal rushed into the scene with a hooded woman that Alucard doesn't recognize. On her left hand was a huge gold claw that gleamed in the sun.

The knight rushed to Alucard, helping him up. "You okay, Alu?"

Alucard recovered from the headache. "Ughhh… what happened?" As his eyes cleared, he found his comrades lying on the ground, struggling to stand.

"What have I done?" he asks.

"This isn't your fault," Tigreal comforts.

"No, this is my fault. I could've… I-"

The woman with the claw comforts him. "Relax. It's fine. It's an accident."

Alucard looks at his greatsword, which stops gleaming. He only then realizes that he has been using his right arm for the duration of the event.

Ruby, who has cleared her marbles, ran to Alucard, forgetting the scythe. She hugged him.

"Oh, God, I am so sorry," she cries.

"Hey, it's okay. You couldn't control it," he says. He turns to Tigreal. "I need to talk to Estes, pronto."

"That's why we're here," the knight replies, "right, Natalia?"

The woman nods.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Left Out**

Let me guess.

You're shocked. You're curious.

You're trying to materialize what in the name of God just happened back at the end of the last chapter.

But all things shall be explained at the right time.

These stories come from a singular source. I can tell you that. The information present is entirely corrupted, but the files are being processed and cleaned as we speak. Due to the nature of the files, it can take days or even WEEKS to finish.

Now you know why at often times I might not upload for a few days. Maybe even a month!

Why not we talk about… pairings?

Ah… the essence of love and tension are somewhat necessary when it comes to constructing a story such as this.

But here's the thing. I have a shared point of view when it comes to pairings in the Mobile Legends Universe. I officially make it fixed into the plot, to prevent all the outrage in the fanbase forums.

That doesn't mean I completely disagree with the mechanics of the other fanfics made by other aspiring authors like me! I appreciate and like their ideas, but they often seem to lack enough context or deep stuff. Like… it seems rushed… and roughly put.

Nevertheless, I'd like to note down a few pairings for all of you Readers, and why I chose them. This isn't a complete list, however.

 **1\. Layla and Clint**

This is too obvious. Even in the game, they have a matching skin set. Which leads to the main question.

What about Alucard and Layla?

I made them half-siblings. No incest. But why are they half-siblings? This will be explained somewhere in the middle of the story.

 **2\. Hayabusa and Kagura**

Again, an obvious pairing. Why do people need to pair up Hayabusa or Kagura with others?

They wear outfits with matching themes. Their colors contrast, and you know of the Yin Yang. I made them polar opposites, but they feel for each other all the same.

But what conflict arises between them? We know the previous Shadow of Iga killed Hayabusa's friend (which I will name in a late part of the story), and that Kagura is to help Hayabusa.

Why is Kagura sad? Again, all will be explained by the time the two meet once again. That shall be soon.

 **3\. Miya and Yun Zhao**

This isn't obvious, as many of you would be forcing Yun with Freya.

Freya doesn't really get a solid pairing, but she will feel close to a character probably no one would expect.

Why the archer with the Son of the Dragon?

A. They're insanely fast.

B. They originally wear blue outfits.

C. They sport ponytails.

D. They're up for any challenge and will brave them fearlessly.

I guess that's enough for you.

But who's for Freya? Once more… prepare.

 **4\. Tigreal and Natalia**

I am merely stating the obvious. Simply reading their background histories in the game will prove why their meant to be together.

(Put them in the same lane in a game, and they'll dominate the battlefield.)

 **5\. Bruno and Lolita**

What?

I made them have a strong, family connection, but this will morph in the near end of the story. No one will complain. They are really good together.

Now… for the ice-breaker.

 **6\. Alucard and Ruby**

BEFORE YOU COMPLAIN, LET ME EXPLAIN.

(Wow! That rhymed.)

You are probably tearing the sheets of your bed, screaming that Alucard isn't paired with someone else.

But anyone paying attention will agree with my decision.

Their background stories are nearly identical in form and flow. Their outfits are completely red (this is if you use the old Alucard skin, which I am using). They wield huge weapons. They are both fighters. They have the role of Crowd Control. They are the literal Lifesteal Couple.

Heck, even the Child of the Fall and Hidden Orchid Butterfly skins match.

Also, they have a dark past that they do not wish to recall, but this they have to brave to unlock a key component in their plans to save the world.

Let's go back to the story…

After all the ruckus that occurred in the arena, Alucard rushed to Estes, who was in the Citadel, training the mages. Tigreal, Natalia, Hayabusa, Ruby and Hilda followed him.

He reached the citadel, and saw Estes guiding a mage.

He said, "Just concentrate on the target, and when the sphere materializes, let it go. Never lose your focus."

The young mage was small, like a midget. He wore a tattered scarf and an old witch hat. A blue hourglass with gold linings nearly as big as he is was mounted on his back. He didn't seem strained. He was with Harley.

Estes noticed the combatants pouring in the citadel.

Tigreal started, "My Lord. There was a disturbance among the Training Fields."

"I have sensed it as well," the Elven King replies. "We are lucky that we were able to respond as soon as possible. We must remain discreet at all costs. I have placed shielding runes on the girl to prevent this from happening once more."

"What of the original plans?" Hilda asked.

"We are to continue it after your meals. Two separate teams will be dispatched as the former patrol squad rounds up later in the afternoon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to privately speak with the Demon Hunter."

The others, except Ruby and Hayabusa, went outside.

"My Lord, we need to remain open," the ninja pleads.

"Not now, Hayabusa," Estes replies. "We may not reveal the whole truth in one sitting, but bits and pieces will remain sufficient."

He also motions the other mages to leave. Eudora, Gord, Nana and the midget-looking dude departs along with Ruby and Hayabusa.

"If you're wondering, that's Cyclops," Estes says to Alucard. "He went along with Miya and Nana during an expedition. His cosmic powers will help us give an edge in the playing field."

"Estes, what on earth was that back there?" Alucard asks. "This is no ordinary matter!"

"Calm down, Alucard," Estes replies. "A remnant of the Dark Lord's spirit was set loose. It took the most vulnerable host: Ruby. I have set runes on her to prevent it from happening again."

"The Dark Lord is free?!"

"Patience. It means that the Holy bonds are breaking," Estes explains. "But the war starts in the same exact time. We only need to minimize the casualties."

Alucard is thinking very hard. "Wait… it said it wants to make me suffer."

"He is targeting you, Alucard, manipulating your every move through his words. He may not manifest completely, but he is spreading fear and terror. Pay attention to what he says, but remain courageous. His words are fruitless when we stand tall."

"However, this event was uncalled for. We have to strengthen the spiritual defenses here with the other Elven Priests." Estes then opened his book, activating a few written runes. The runes appeared in the air like holograms, and floated out of the citadel.

"That should do it," the Elven King said.

However, Alucard was still rushed. "Tell me, Estes. What _truly_ happened back there? Why did my sword glow?"

Estes remained calm, though the Demon Hunter did hint a tinge of worry.

"My boy, I really wish to tell you. But the motion of things doesn't match! I hate to leave you hanging, but mark my words. One day, you shall know."

Alucard dislikes being cut out, but he could easily feel the amount of worry the King expressed. It was a good thing he confirmed that the King's intentions were pure.

"If you can't tell me, will the others at least hint me about what they know?"

"That, you can do. However," Estes replied, "don't be certain that they'll expose it all. I confirmed that you'll learn more in your travels, so that your trust will remain unfazed."

Alucard finally agreed. Before he walked out, Estes said, "You have a mission today."

"What's that?"

"You will help out with the truce."

"Wait, what?" Bruno exclaimed. "You're going with Freya and Franco to negotiate with the Pirates?!"

Lolita hushed him. "Come on now, Bruno. A few of us will be coming as well!"

Alucard explained. "I would need at most four companions on my way. The others can stay or help out with finding the 3rd shard."

Alpha, who was with them, suggested. "Anyone with good social skills shall suffice Alucard's needs."

"I will be going!" Layla volunteered.

"So am I," Bruno replied.

Lolita said, "Make that three."

"And four!" Ruby added.

"So Chou and Alpha are to go for the 3rd shard?" Alucard asked.

"I can deal with it," Chou happily answered. "I'd like a couple of punching bags to deal with."

"How about the other Demon Hunters?" Layla asked.

"They're assigned for reconnaissance duty," Alpha said. "Split into different groups. Each with different roles."

"I guess things are finally settled," Ruby finished. The friends split up as lunch hour began. Though, Alucard and Ruby paired.

WAIT!

Sorry for barging in again.

I am definitely not going to say what our fellow characters ate. Seriously.

This is because the files didn't even show that they were even eating, as the maker of these files only portrayed the important events.

This means that most of these is entirely true, but some gaps? I had to fill.

Back to the story.

As Alucard and Ruby were eating, Zhao decided to sit right next to them.

"Hey, dudes," he greeted. "Mind if I join in?"

"Sure, no problem," Ruby replied.

He sat beside Alucard.

"Tough fight from your buddy Chou back there!" Zhao says with glee. "I never had such opponents for years."

"He has a lot of skill, let me tell you," Alucard replies.

Zhao looks around a bit. Something catches his eye. "It seems that Hayabusa sits alone once again."

The spearman guides Alucard and Ruby's eyes as their vision drifts to the ninja, who, in one corner, eats alone. What's even more surprising is that he has never put down the mask.

"Why is he like that?" Ruby asks. "He's not that anti-social, right?"

"Well, there's a lot going on in his life," Yun says. "I am a good friend, so I am not gonna spread some classified stuff. Best you hear it from him, not me."

Alucard takes a bite as he sees a blue, two-door car drive through the canteen.

"Here goes our boy," Zhao mumbles. He then shouts, "Guys! Johnson is here!"

"Johnson?" Alucard was confused. One of the car doors opened, and out came a cyborg with another visor covering his eyes, much like Alpha's visor. A pair of antennae were on either side of his temples. His exoskeleton was roughly detailed, but still smooth to the sight. He had two purple katanas on his back that seemed to shine with a cerulean tint. He had a bun, and his hair was white-purple. A red bandana tied his hair.

"That's Saber, right?" Ruby asked.

Yun simply nodded. "Don't be fooled. He's tough to beat."

The blue car suddenly morphed. Sounds of whirring and clacking filled the place. It later turned out that the car was also a man.

"And that's Johnson," the Son of the Dragon continues. "A magical force molded his body with the parts of a broken car. He is stuck like that."

Saber and Johnson walk up to the Citadel to talk with Estes. Miya then appears next to Ruby. She didn't bring any food.

"You're going with Freya, huh?" the archer asks.

"For the negotiations, yes," Yun replies.

Miya eyes Alucard and Ruby. "Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Miya." She holds out her hand.

"Don't worry," Ruby comforts. "Estes introduced most of you, so we had little trouble in recognition."

"I see." Alucard then senses a form of worry in Miya's mind, but this is not as relative as the one he felt on Estes's. It was… mixed with a bit of caring.

Yun stands up and grabs the rested spear from the table. "I have to go. I need to prep."

Miya replies, "Stay safe, Yun. I'll kill you if you come back here late."

"I am never late," Zhao smirks. "If I am, I'd be dead already."

Miya laughs as Yun walks outside.

Alucard and Ruby were grinning. Miya takes notice of this.

"What?" she asks.

"We know."

The archer blushed. Hard.

"Don't worry, we wouldn't tell!" Ruby says. "And besides, I like the fact you're keeping it lowkey."

"Never, ever tell this to him, okay?" the archer pleads. "He doesn't even know."

Alucard puts his hand (his left hand) on her shoulder. "I am a man of my word."

"Thanks!" As Miya starts to walk out, she halts.

"Oh, one more thing. I am sorry if we have to keep secrets from you."

The Demon Hunter felt sorry. He realizes then that, after all this time, many value him like he is the most important member of the team.

"I understand. But we can't hold them back forever."

The horn sounds, which forces Miya to leave discreetly. Hayabusa pops out of the shadows.

"I am assigned to the negotiations as well. I decide to join you," he starts.

"Let's go then, shall we?" Ruby addresses.

"Before we do so, what were you and Miya talking about?"

Alucard intervened. "It's something private. I wish to tell you, but-"

"Nah, it's alright. I keep some secrets to myself every now and then."

The heroes pull in back to the underground chamber. Estes activates two makeshift portals.

"The left is for those assigned for the retrieval of the 3rd shard. The right is for the negotiations with the Queen of Snow, Aurora. Please, fall in."

Alucard takes note of who goes with or without him.

On the left side: Clint, Chou, Alpha, Miya, Cyclops, Minotaur, Hilda, Balmond, Karina

On the right side: Alucard, Freya, Zhao, Hayabusa, Ruby, Bruno, Lolita, Gord, Saber, Layla

"Not all of you in this kingdom have been assigned to these tasks. Some are to stay behind and fix a couple of matters. Stay safe, and avoid any conflict within the way. Remain vigilant. Godspeed, my brethren," Estes finishes.

The lefties dive in through their swirling vortex, only to reappear on the other side.

"Time to fly, compadres!" Bruno yells, as he dashes through the portal.

The others join in, and after a split second, they hear the slushing water.

"Where are we?" Gord asks, seemingly retaining balance with his board.

"Location Analyzing," Saber says. "Coordinates Verified. We are in the Glass Beach."

Lolita eyes out a huge galleon with black sails. And it is floating… in the air. A rack of cannons and mortars lined the ship's hull.

"What's that?" she asks. The others look up.

"That's Bane," Freya assures. "And there's Franco."

She points to a group of men wearing thick coats, clad in chain mail. The leader sported an orange beard and a helmet with long horns. He held a grappling hook on his left hand and a hammer on his right.

"Ready for our mission?" Freya says to Franco.

Franco nods. "About dang time, Valkyrie."


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Oasis of the Scorch**

As for the other team…

They landed right smack in the middle of nowhe- I mean in the middle of the desert.

Luckily, Alpha's GPS is synced with the Ocular Sun's latest records. They were only a few leagues away from the shard.

And when I say in the middle of the desert, your vision would be filled with hill after hill of sand. A gentle, cool breeze eased the heat they were experiencing. The sun wasn't even glaring on our beloved heroes too hard.

"3rd Shard Location: 3.7 leagues Southwest," Beta says. "No hostile detected."

"Get used to the heat, my lads," Hilda encourages. "I was bred here. I am sure that there are a few couple of counties around here somewhere."

Minotaur remained silent.

Meanwhile, Chou was calm. He decided to think of good stuff. Like, hanging out with his mates. Or mastering a new move. Or stealing Bruno's bread and blaming Lolita for it. Oh well…

"I suggest we move quickly," Balmond says. "The heat won't kill us, but we are wasting precious time."

"I reckon there's something around here… A landmark or such," Clint replies, checking his revolvers.

The group decides to walk. They weren't exhausted. They weren't in much need of rations too. After a half-hour of silence, Chou breaks it.

"I feel out of place here."

Balmond chuckled. "Don't be shy, boy. We aren't biting."

"Besides," Karina adds, "we're a team, aren't we?"

"It's just that Alpha is the only person I know here, and he isn't even a full human being!" Chou retorts. "No offense, though."

"Apology accepted," Alpha answers back, attending to Beta for any surveillance.

Miya and Cyclops are chatting it out.

"Why did your race did not approve of your prowess?" Miya asked the mage. "You're pretty valuable to me."

Cyclops half-heartedly said, "For them, size matters. I reject! No dream is too big, and no dreamer too small. Now, I control the cosmos!"

Miya smiles. She sees much enthusiasm from a small giant (yes, he is a giant), who willingly volunteers and risks his life for this grand endeavor.

"I heard your hourglass glimpses the future," Miya changes the topic. "You may try if you want to."

"Sure!" Cyclops then taps the hourglass on his back. The object starts to float around him, then to Miya.

"I cannot show your fate," Cyclops says. "My hourglass is a crossroads. You carve your own destiny."

Miya looks into the translucent glass. Her reflection morphs into several different images. She saw the Land of Dawn. All forms of citizens were rejoicing. She sees Zhao, Hayabusa, Karina, and a girl with a blue umbrella. She also witnesses Alucard with his friends, along with Freya and Franco, who was enjoying the drinks. Then the scene shifts.

She sees the war itself, but it was not that comprehensible. She is shocked as she sees bodies upon bodies, both from different sides. Most of her friends were still alive, but they were wounded very badly. She sees Alice and Vexana leech their souls out until-

She had to look away. Stare longer and she will be scarred.

"I am sorry," Cyclops starts. "The hourglass shows what it wants you to show, not what you want to see. It's rebellious, so to speak."

"It's alright, Cyclops," Miya forgave him. Cyclops points to Chou and the others, merrily conversing into random stuff.

"And then, I dashed behind this bad boy," Chou says, "and wanna know what I told him after?"

"What?" Minotaur asks.

" _Omae wa mou shindeiru,"_ Chou said before he bursts out laughing.

Karina scrunched her eyebrows. "What does that mean?"

"Translator activated," Alpha reacts. "It means, 'you're already dead.'"

The whole group bellowed. Clint was trying hard not to laugh so hard that he would cry eventually.

"Good one!" Hilda says.

"Okay, okay, let's hold it off for now," Cyclops says. "Alpha is picking up something."

The group looks at Alpha, who was a few feet away from them. He analyzes his surrounding area with his visor. He stops looking around.

"Is there something amiss?" Balmond asks.

"Oasis spotted."

Miya's eyes widened. An oasis? That is too good to be true.

"Can you determine where?" Miya questions Alpha.

The cyborg responded, "A few hundred meters… after we climb that hill. It should be visible to us." He points to a hill northwest of them. It wasn't too steep.

The team rushed to climb the steep sand dune. The breeze suddenly became stronger than before.

Minotaur, Hilda and Balmond struggled to push through the gales with their axes and hammers. Alpha used his spear as a walking stick for support. Clint's scarf and hat nearly flew off in the distance, since Chou caught them before they got too far.

"Thanks, chump," Clint said to Chou.

"Anytime."

As they reached the edge of the cliff, the winds slowly died out. At the top of the sand dune, they beheld a marvelous sight.

An oasis was there, all right. A wide one. The oasis spanned the desert for at most a mile. There were numerous streams and lakes circulating the undergrowth. Random rock formations sprouted in their field of vision.

"I have never been here," Hilda says. "The Wasteland is a territory of harshness and wonder."

They climb down the sand hills and into the shrubbery. The temperature rapidly cooled down, even if there was no cloud that hindered the sun's blistering heat. It was still awfully quiet. No animal or cactus was in sight, just a couple of palm trees, a few lakes and a-

"Wait, is that what I think it is?" Cyclops exclaims, squinting his eye for a better look.

"Yup," Alpha replies. "A huge turtle."

In the center of the fields lay a huge blue turtle, prominent in the distance. It waded in a shallow pool, which was insanely crystal clear. It did see the heroes, but it showed no obvious reaction. The reptile just happily swam, eating a couple of leaves.

"A big oasis inhabited by one big tubbo," Karina recites. "What's the significance?"

Miya readies her bow, but doesn't nock an arrow. Her bow enhances her eyesight, and she had no intention of killing the gentle giant.

"A blue crystal seems to be jutting out of its back," she replies. "It seems that the other edge of the oasis is dark and creepy."

"Those are where those diablos come from," Minotaur explains. "This oasis isn't safe for the turtle at all."

Alpha suddenly yells, "Demons, 4 o' clock!"

All at once, the team unfolds their arsenal. Miya readies an arrow, Clint brings out his guns, Alpha and Beta activate battle stances, Chou covers the backside, and the others frantically surround the field with their sight.

A small group of demons, mainly Ravagers and Lava Golems, attempt to traverse the thick shrubs. But, as soon as they touch the first leaf, they disintegrate into a pile of sand.

"Oh… Kay," Hilda confusingly starts. "What's with that?"

Cyclops answers. "Cosmic barrier protects the oasis from demons. Turtle controls field. We are let in."

"The turtle itself decides who enters?" Chou replies, asking for assurance.

"Request close-up analysis," Beta says.

The team closes in on the turtle, who still doesn't mind the new guests. After being a few meters away from the turtle, it quickly turns to look at the heroes, who jumped in surprise.

"That's new," Balmond said. "Let's see if it speaks."

"Let me try. I am the one with charisma," Chou boasts. Karina smirks.

Chou walks up to the reptile. "Oh, ye majestic, cerulean giant! Doth you speak with our tongues?"

Miya facepalms. "Oh, Lord."

Meanwhile, Karina and Hilda is snickering in the distance.

To their surprise, the turtle did speak.

"Why do ye mock me with thy words?"

"OH… KAY! SORRY!" Cyclops squeaked, trembling in shock.

"I am calm. No need to plead for mercy," the reptile said, turning its body to face the group.

Hilda asked it, "Who are you?"

"I am the Empyrean Turtle," it said. "I wade through this miniature oasis that gives me my refuge. I have lasted millennia in this place, and I remain untouchable from any force that hinders goodwill."

"What is your role?" Balmond interrogates.

"I guard these crystalline waters, for they hold something truly dear."

Beta blipped around Alpha, signaling. "Liquid analysis complete. Has extreme healing properties. Lake is extremely deep."

"Deep?" Clint replies, confused. "Oh turtle, is the lake deep?"

"The lake isn't a lake," the Empyrean Turtle answers. "It's a gateway to another side of this world. There, you shall find your shard."

The team's eyes widened. Chou started, "Wait wait wait… you mean… the 3rd Dawn Shard? Shouldn't that be the crystal on your shell?"

The turtle chuckles. "Silly. I apologize for your misconceptions. This crystal is my life force. Destroy it, and I will be non-existent. Though, only the Lords can decide my fate, and I am never destined to die for now. You must act in haste, as the opportunities are just as scarce as the alignment of the cosmos. Dive in the lake and rummage for the answer."

At this point, the turtle dives in the not-so-shallow body of water, until it was completely submerged.

Miya peered on the edge of the lake. "I can't see it."

Suddenly, Karina pushes her off. Miya yelps as she plunges to her watery doom.

As she resurfaces, she yells, "What was that for?!"

Karina simply shrugged. "Well, is the lake deep?"

Cyclops didn't waste any time. He dived in the water. "Yippee!" After him, Minotaur followed suit, though he didn't dive. He waded through the water and held his breath.

Balmond, Clint and Hilda followed in. Miya dived straight down after them. Chou and Alpha were left.

"The water is surprisingly inhalable. You won't drown," Alpha says. "Trust me." He dives, and Beta goes down with him as well.

Chou's nerves racked.

 _I should've been with Alucard,_ he thinks as he dives like a swan.

He closed his eyes during the said dive, and after feeling the lukewarm water, he swims straight down. He could breathe, yes, but he is hyperventilating. He's used to disappearing monks, but not breathable water. He opens his eyes. His friends are slightly ahead of him. Cyclops was struggling to swim with his tiny feet and arms. Chou pushes down as he helps out the poor giant.

After a couple of seconds, as prominent ray of light shone on them, beckoning them to go faster. The gravity suddenly shifted in the center, forcing the heroes to swim upward. This confused most of them. Minotaur was the one to resurface first. Soon after, Karina and Miya did the same, followed by Alpha, Cyclops, Chou, Balmond, Clint and finally Hilda.

As the Megalith Wastelander rises from the water, her eyes beheld something wondrous.

The lake was really a portal. The landscape showed the setting sun (which is funny, because it was like… noontime on the desert) and the grassy mountains. The grass was bright and neatly trimmed, and different types of flowers grew everywhere, ranging in color. A sparkling forest was on the far reaches of their spot, with the addition of a straight river.

It was technically a terrestrial heaven.

"Shouldn't we note the fact that we are on a fountain?" Cyclops suddenly mentioned.

The other heroes took note of this and tried to rise out of the fountain. What's even more shocking is that they weren't even wet. Yes, not a single drop of water remained on their clothes.

"Well, that's something," Hilda said.

Beta buzzed. "Location Unverified. In the middle of an island in the middle of the ocean. Needs more peripherals."

"IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN?!" Chou yelled. "Ah, great. Don't tell me we're stuck here."

To test that, Karina submerged her arm to the fountain. She felt the base of the structure. Her eyes widened.

"Ah, shoot," Clint dejectedly replied. "Well, I guess we have to camp here."

"That, you need not do," a voice called out.

The heroes looked behind them.

How could they put this in words? They saw a man. Well, part of a man. From head to waist, he is human, with a well-toned torso. He wore shiny shoulder guards which were covered by his long, white hair, which is similar to Estes's. A helmet with a unicorn's horn adorned his head. But that's not the point. From the waist down, he had the body of a white stallion, hooves and all! He held a white and gold scepter with a blue gem attached to it. The crystal seemed to revolve and glow on the tip of the scepter.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said. "I am Hylos, Guardian of the Fountain of Youth."

Miya gasped. "The literal Fountain?!"

Hylos shrugged. "It doesn't really make you younger, but it sure does possess the gift of life. It is also a portal to another side of this world. That, the Empyrean Turtle assured you." His tail whipped around.

Clint had a lot of questions. "Okay, first of all, state your business. I have seen a lot of strange things here, but not as big as this."

"Patience, my friends," Hylos said. "Your journey seems to be short-lived as we speak. We need to come to terms and I must help you comprehend the nature of this world."

"Can you start with where we are?" Chou asked.

"You're in the middle of the Anantasheshan Ocean," the centaur said. "I am the Grand Warden of the Centaurs that guard this fountain from the evils that wish to claim this holy essence for their own personal desires."

"Why is this fountain of such importance to you?" Balmond asked. "It seems it's worth it to stay here than explore around."

"We are used to living in these conditions, but we can adapt. I assume you seek the Dawn Shard."

Cyclops jumped and clapped. "Team needs the shard! Where is it?"

Hylos pointed on the fountain's top using the scepter. On the top of the intricately carved fountain lies a white gem, shining brightly. The carved lines of the fountain illuminated with white light, which seems to come from the gem itself.

"That, is why, Berserker," Hylos finishes. "We thought it would be of great value for the prophecy, so we kept it safe, and isolated ourselves here. The turtle was right. He said that you'd come. We have prepared, and our departure will commence shortly."

"So, you have thought about it this whole time?" Karina asked, wanting to be assured. "Couldn't you go to the other side just to inform Estes?"

Hylos looks at Karina. "Shadow Elf, I can tolerate your quizzical thoughts, but I wish to say to you that Estes knew of this all along. He didn't wish to tell you or anyone else in order to maintain the confidentiality of what we harbor: the Shard. Tell me, what would happen if my brethren and I were to rise from the other side to tell your King of what we have in store? That oasis is being encircled by the Dark Edge of the Wasteland. Take the Shard, and the barriers weaken. That's why we all go together."

"But what of this island?" Minotaur snorted, setting his hammer down. "You promised to protect the Fountain."

"Only in a lengthy span of time did we realize our true mission," Hylos answered. "It was never about the Fountain. It was always about the Shard. Through the Fountain, I see your actions, and improvise our next plans here, so that our departure may be swift as possible. My brothers are merely on their daily duties. I suggest you stay here while I inform of your presence immediately." The centaur galloped (or walked? This is confusing.) down the hillside, straight through the forests in front of his path.

"Can't we just get the shard and escape?" Clint suggested. Chou smacked him upside the head.

"Dude. It's disrespectful. And besides, this Hylos dude has some sort of value in our mission. We can't just leave."

Miya joins in. "We still need to hurry, and notify Estes and the other company of our conditions."

Alpha said, "We need Hylos for the transmission. Analysis from Beta indicates that he is the only one with the ability for such communications."

Shockingly, Hylos galloped (yeah I am sticking with galloped) back to the heroes in breakneck speed, never even breaking a sweat. "I have done my part. If you wish to contact the Elven King, I will let you."

Karina nodded, giving out a "yes" answer. Hylos then trodded on the edge of the fountain. With the use of the end of the scepter, he made a circle on the water. The liquid rippled, forming a very clear (and strikingly colorful) image. It was a live feed of the happenings in the Citadel's Library, and Estes was there, using the ancient scrolls.

"Can he see us?" Hilda asked.

Hylos answered, "The other end of this is a plane projection of us. The projection is formed by an indistinguishable whirlpool of water. No science can fully contain these mechanics."

Miya decided to give it a try. "Estes! It's us!"

Estes looks on them, and he smiled. "Ah, it's good to see you, Miya. I assume you've met Hylos."

Hylos said, "Good afternoon, my liege."

"Hello, my friend. I am glad things are going as expected. Give your new companions safe refuge before their departure in the morning. I allow you to give what they duly require. Never forget the shard."

"I hope you will help us with the execution of the plans. It's risky once the Shard is misplaced."

Estes sighed. "Don't worry. I have marked the Ocular Sun to apply a makeshift portal instantly once all of you have made it through the other side. I need to talk to them privately, Hylos. Mind giving some space?"

Hylos took a few steps back. The heroes peered in on the fountain's edge.

"My warriors, never fear. The condition of the other team remains stable, though the truce hasn't been attempted yet," Estes begins. "Once you reach the other side, Johnson, along with a few other heroes and the Royal Cavalry will hold off any opposing threat that comes. We are to leave the turtle behind."

Cyclops was the first to complain. "Why should we even leave the turtle? He looks nice."

Estes answered, "Dear mage, without the shards, what would be its worth? It'd choose to sacrifice its life for you to be escorted safely than live forever."

Chou inserted in the conversation. "What of Alucard and the other team? Have they come in contact with Bane?"

"That, you are right, Chou. I heard that a naval fleet of unknown origin is on its way as well. Fortunately, they have raised the white flag. Now, go on, my heroes. Make the most of your time in that place." The water rippled, and the image blurred, splitting into different pieces. Sooner or later, the transmission cut off.

"So much for that," Minotaur mumbled.

They heard the grass behind them rustling. Hylos remained calm, while the others fixed their gazes.

Balmond asked, "Who is there? Show yourself."

Out of the grass came an elf wearing a white, sleek outfit. A gauntlet crossbow was fitted on her left arm. She was riding a white smilodon with huge upper canines.

"Woah there! Easy!" the elf said, comforting the agitated predator. She climbed off of its back and held out her hand to Hilda.

"Hi there! I am Irithel, nicknamed the Silver Cyclone. I am with my friend, Leo, seeking refuge among these parts."

Cyclops's face lit up. "You're the one Nana talked about! She said that she accidentally freed you by casting this… thingamajig thingy… uh…"

"Dragon Cat Morph spells," Miya continued.

"Yes, yes, that one! Thanks."

Irithel chuckled. "Ah, I see! Though, I did not come here alone. I also have another companion of mine."

Another wave of rustling came. Out popped a woman with a sharp face and completely blue eyes. She surpasses as human, if you don't count her deformed feet, which was like a raptor's. On her wrists were two huge purple shurikens that glowed in the early night. Karina immediately recognized the outfit.

"You're from Alaghat, aren't you?"

"Yes," the woman answered. "I am Karrie, reporting for duty. I will aid you in this mission, along with my sisters. They are preparing for this endeavor, and we shouldn't fall behind."

" _Two female assassins of almost the same name, harnesses pure damage, all the same,"_ Chou recites. "Karina and Karrie!"

"That's some nice analysis, Chou," Clint complimented. "At least the prophecy is piecing out right in front of us."

Hylos budges in. "We have prepared a celebration before we depart. We formally invite you."

"So," Irithel started. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: The Good, The Clad and The Icy**

Do you know that feeling when…

You have the perfect idea for the ending, yet you are stuck when it comes to making a plot for the middle?

I usually experience it a lot throughout the forging of the story (and the file cleansing). My friends feel me as well.

Though, all the positive comments I have fuel my drive to complete this story, no matter what it takes!

Then again, I will explain why I possess some corrupted files, and why they're the source of my story.

Judging from the chapter's name, I assume you all know where we're gonna go next.

The truce.

Oh, what could go wrong with the cold-hearted Queen of Ice?

Remember how she became like that? Due to the feuds between the Vikings and Pirates, she lost her arm.

And she went completely bananas after that.

So… yeah. It's no Disney film.

Let me give you a recap of the heroes in this mission.

Alucard, Freya, Ruby, Zhao, Hayabusa, Gord, Bruno, Lolita, Layla and Saber… Along with Franco and Bane.

All except the Pirate Lord, of course, wait as the flying galleon up in the sky lowers into the shore. Even if the airship did seem fragile, no creaking was heard between the wooden boards of the hull.

"Don't fear," Saber announces. "Be calm like the wind, be steady like a rock."

Layla liked that about Saber. He seemed like the cyborg with the least amount of emotions, yet those lines he speaks seem to have a huge impact.

And it did on the nervous heroes beside him.

The galleon has now landed. Gord hinted the great amount of scratch marks on the hull. Also, a main sail was tattered. A white flag was hoisted on top.

The port deployed a plank. Out walked the Pirate Lord himself, along with a couple of his crew.

So…

Before you think of anything, I must say that these Pirates actually have good hygiene.

I am not kidding. I can't believe the stats I am seeing. Their teeth seem pearly white! There's no visible stain on their clothes. Their arms look sharp and neatly fashioned. The only one out of the group is Bane.

His skin may be fair, but he is completely blue. He wielded a blue, wide pirate sword, cutlass and all. His left arm was a huge crab claw. His right leg was of a crab as well, but his left one had a peg leg. Bane wore no eyepatch, but he had a scraggly beard. His eyes were sunken, like he had no sleep.

He didn't even need any sleep, though. He did rise from the dead, so he looks like that. He's nothing short of intimidating.

But that changed due to his facial expression. He didn't seem fierce. He seemed weary.

Franco walked up to him. "Ready for this ruckus?"

"Let's hope she agrees," Bane answers with a hoarse voice. "Swash, Leroy, Castor, stay with me. The others guard the ship. Inform us of any other fleet that arrives."

He tells this to his closest informants, who have prepped themselves with a couple of parchments.

Freya joins in. "It is pleasing to see you with us, Captain. I hope you keep your promise."

"All those conflicts we have must come to an end."

"The Queen can't be that bad, right?" Bruno asks. "I mean, after all, we're all here."

Gord nudges him. "Don't you get it, kid? That's the problem. We're ALL here."

Bruno just eases out of the group, raising his hands. "Okay, okay. Sorry."

The group walks through the tundra. It wasn't very cold, yet cold nonetheless. They're treading in an air conditioned environment with completely different outfits.

After walking on the nearly unidentifiable path for a couple of minutes, they go round-a-bout the hills. The snowfall remained constant as they tread the walkway. After the turn, they beheld the Frost Castle.

Again, this is no fairy tale. The castle was protected with sharp spikes of ice. A group of armed ice soldiers guard the main gate, which consists of a huge oak door fitted by iron braces. Even the balconies of the citadel were topped with archers, unwavering yet alert.

But Lolita can't help admire the image it viewed. It was a land of desolation. Aurora made the statement well.

"This was supposed to be a thriving garden once," Zhao says. "After the chaos, the whole place is stuck as this." He hugs himself with his arms, as the cold grew.

Hayabusa's eyes were becoming icy as well. "Man, I am glad this outfit of mine is padded. Someone really hates visitors."

As they near the gate, a row of soldiers halted them.

"Stop in the name of the Queen!" the guards shouted in unison, as they blocked the way with their sharp spears.

Franco goes in front. "We need to speak with the Queen."

The middle-most soldier, who seemed to be the leader, walked to Franco. "She hasn't spoken to anyone for decades. Get lost. You have wasted precious time."

"Ah, just as expected," Saber mumbles. He attempts to convince the guard. "Please, for this is an emergency."

"What makes you think I have the call to let you in? We mainly guard the doors. Only Aurora has the ability to put you inside the citadel."

"We are sent by King Estes of the Land of Dawn," Ruby says. "We are here to make a truce, along with the Vikings and Pirates, who have prematurely agreed."

The leader looked at the group with eyes boring on them. With the hands behind him, he walks around, seeing if they were really telling the truth. After a while, he says, "I can let you in. I am sorry, but I need to speak with the Queen first."

Suddenly, a resonating voice was heard. "Nexos, let them in."

Freya's eyes widened. "No way. I haven't heard her for years."

"That's her?" Alucard asked. "She doesn't seem angry to me."

The guards split as they form to help each other push the doors. A huge rush of cold wind was let forth due to the opening of the doors. The group had to look away and block with their arms to prevent the wind from blowing them off the highland.

"Please, come in," Nexos urged. He led the way into the citadel. The said structure was similar to Estes' place, though the roof was slightly lower. The pillars were decorated with immense detail like henna tattoos. The floor may not be slippery, but it was as clear as glass. No stain was marked as the group walks further. The second floor can be seen, supported by the pillars. The curved grand stairs were beside the main gate. The floors lead to several rooms.

In front of them was a royal banquet. The table was made of glass, and was covered by a white sheet, framed with gold lace. The chairs were of decent size.

The throne was visible, even with the extensive length of the palace. There sat Aurora herself. Her eyes were misty, specked with flecks of frost. She didn't seem angry, but her face was blank. Her gown sparkled like glitter. An icy crest rested on her left shoulder like a guard. Her hair stood on end, and they didn't seem like hair… more like a group of icy spikes. Her right arm was completely made of ice. Alucard speculated that this was the one she lost.

Aurora waved her hand, and the banquet deconstructed. The furniture seemed to sink to the floor, giving enough space for the heroes to present themselves.

"Thank you, Nexos. You may leave," Aurora said to the leader, who genuflected on his way back. The palace doors closed once more.

It wasn't cold in the palace. It was actually of room temperature. Zhao began to sweat due to the nervousness. Bruno thought of whistling, but held the impulse back.

Gord walks up first. "Aurora, Queen of the Snow! We plead your aid, for the prophecy has been proven true."

"I know of the tale forged by the Lords," the queen replied, still with her calm tone. "I displayed no interest of it until now, seeing as you've prepared yourselves for the encounters with the devils."

"King Estes implores your assistance, milady," the Valkyrie continues. "He also wishes to-"

She is abruptly stopped. "I know you want to make a truce with me," Aurora said, standing up. "I know Franco and Bane have already come to terms, and that you want me to join in as well."

Hayabusa helps Freya, as he felt that she grows nerve-wracked by the second. "Your insight serves you well, Aurora. I hope you agree with us. There is evil beyond the walls you live in. We only wish that we act with haste. We are running out of time."

"Time? Time was well spent with their feuds, Shadow of Iga," Aurora replied, looking at Franco and Bane. Hayabusa steps back, as he knew that he hadn't even introduced himself, yet the Queen knew of him. "Time was well spent when your personal life was all for naught, right? You may have avenged your brethren, but you're still left with the curse!"

"Enough of this rant!" Bane exclaims. "My Queen, we are truly sorry. We have been granted a chance to make peace! We only want you to take it, so that we know which side you are on."

Franco helps Bane out. "If this is what we must do to prevent the Dark Lord from stepping out of his boundaries, then we should do it. Milady, can't you see the dilemma? We are desperate!"

Aurora chuckled with a laughter hinted with sarcasm. "I see it perfectly, Viking. That's why I side with no one!" She said those last words, seemingly like a shout. Freya intervenes once more.

"Why side with no one? We will understand if you do not wish to fight, but at least let us confirm that you are on our side!"

"Bah! Who am I now to meddle with the works of men and the mission of angels? Have you forgotten?" The queen summoned a sheet of ice, which displayed some disturbing images. There, the heroes saw footages of different races, ransacking all types of environments. They hunted down animals to extinction. Some of those creatures, not even Freya can recognize. They see mass murders and war, all plotted by the Dark Lord's mischief. Layla and Ruby covers their eyes, as they can't bear it.

"You yourselves have weakened the three other elemental guardians! I am all that stand before the heat of hell ravages the seeds you plant for the harvest you will reap! Alice and Vexana have slain the others, and they bring forces much larger than you can conceive."

Lolita comes in. "That's why we are asking your help, Queen of the Snow. Your role in this prophecy is of vital importance to helping us win."

Aurora grows even more frustrated. "Elf, I do not wish to grant your wants and needs. I have had enough of these troublemakers disrupting my peace!" Suddenly, she holds out her hand to Franco and Bane's company and traps their bodies with a coating of ice. Lolita tries to rush to help them, but Aurora makes a glass case that surrounds Lolita. The elf pounds the glass using her hammer, but no crack was made. Her shouts were muted down.

Saber charges in to push Aurora unconscious. No matter how swift he was, the Queen managed to trap him in ice in mid-air. He became stuck like a weird ice-skater.

Layla shouts, "Stop it! If anything, this isn't peace! This is madness! My father has told me of tales about the Queen who would do anything to preserve peace, no matter the intolerability of the chaos! I do not see that same Queen in you!"

Aurora hears those words and walks to Layla with a fierce face. Freya blocks the path, only to be pushed back with a great gale that sends her to the floor. Aurora coats the Valkyrie's back with ice, so she can't get up. Hayabusa teleports in random directions to avoid getting caught. As soon as he gets behind the Queen, he attempts to butt her cranium with the butt of his sword. But as the sword made contact, it froze, along with the unsuspecting ninja. Hayabusa remained in this pose until he is completely stuck as well. Zhao runs to his friends, but Aurora traps his feet. Zhao yells as he struggles to pick off the ice with his spear, but that froze too. Ruby tries to hook Aurora close, but she froze in her place, the frostbite covering her.

Aurora clutches Layla's jugular by the hand. Layla could feel the immense cold rush through her veins. She tries to claw her way out, but she dropped the Malefic Gun.

"Don't tell me of my wretched past!" Aurora yells. "You, Layla, may be the kindness that sparks serenity among the group, but you're the weakest of all! You hide secrets, like your true relations with your half-brother!"

Alucard catches the last word. He looks at Layla in awe. He wasn't angry, yet he was shocked. Layla cries as she begins to freeze, her clothes and skin covered with frost.

"Aurora, don't do this!" Alucard pleads. "If anything, you're just as wicked as the demons I face. You can stop this now!"

The Queen abruptly drops Layla, who could barely breathe. Bruno suddenly dashes to block the way. He kicks a holographic ball to the Queen's face, which shattered into thousands of icy bits as it made contact. Gord surrounded Alucard and Bruno with a Mystic Injunction to prevent Aurora from going further.

"Keep your words to yourself, boy!" Gord warns before his board is clearly swept off of him through a block of ice. Aurora then slams Gord to a nearby pillar and freezes him. His speech became incomprehensible.

"Ah, the Demon Hunter!" Aurora said, laughing maniacally. "How ironic you lead your friends to their escapades! And yet, your clan is the one who despises alliances in the first place!"

"They have learned their wrongs!" Bruno answers back. "They now aid the King with all their strength. Right, Alucard?"

The Demon Hunter could only say, "Layla is merely my half-sister?"

Aurora made a sad, taunting face. "Aww, is someone going to cry? You haven't known, have you? She has lied to you! Made you believe that absolute nonsense! You have a history never meant to be tainted, Alucard, but even your friends hide secrets from you. You long to know what they hide, and yet you trust them like family!"

"Shut up!" Alucard shouts. He goes out of the field, but his first step made his leg freeze instantly. He felt the frostbite come to him.

"Not today!" Bruno cries as he jumps to kick Aurora in the face, which he successfully did. Unfortunately, as he steps on the floor, a set of ice spikes covered his way. Aurora created a glass dome around Bruno. Inside the dome, Bruno hugs his knees, trying hard to not puncture himself with the glass spikes around him.

Aurora walks up to Alucard, struggling to free himself. "Be glad I have showed mercy to your friends and haven't killed them. Though, they'd make a fine addition to my collection."

"Let them go, you hag!" Alucard yells. "You are so cold-hearted, you don't even have the capacity to forgive! They have ruined your life, but we aren't the ones who stained your name! You yourself did!"

Aurora clenches her fist, forcing the ice to grow even faster on the Demon Hunter, who cries in pain. "Do not teach me about forgiveness, you brat! You do not know the pain I feel!"

She rears her frost arm to slap Alucard, which was shot down by a red arrow, which travelled to puncture a hole on Aurora's throne.

The Queen simply grew back a new arm in the matter of seconds. "Who did that?!"

The main gates suddenly opened, and out poured a group of naval soldiers, wearing intricate coats. Alucard looked behind him. They were Korean Navy soldiers. Out also came an ethnic tribe with tattoos on their bare chests. They were buff, and showed no shivers from the cold. A man with gilded gauntlets came in as well. He's wearing a foreign helm and a solid suit. His gauntlets were designed to match the head of a lion's or dragon's. Sparks of lightning shot forth from them to the frozen bodies, which immediately freed them. Alucard and his friends rushed close to the group. They gained a sense of morale and bravery.

The leader of the Navy presented himself. He wielded a glaive and a gauntlet crossbow. "Stop, your Majesty! I am Yi Sun Shin, leader of the Korean Navy! Your madness must draw to a close!"

The leader of the ethnic tribe walked up. He held up two stone swords, which, upon observation, seemed to match to make a larger greatsword. "I am Lapu-Lapu, of Makadan Island! Me and my comrades have arrived to uphold our truce!"

"How are you not frozen?!" Aurora exclaims.

"I am Gatotkaca, son of Bima and Arimbi, Knight of Priggadani! I walk alone to aid these loyal combatants to the path of peace and glory! My lightning eases the frost that wishes to ravage them. My Queen, stop all this, so that we may prevent further conflict."

So, how did Aurora respond? She snapped her fingers.

Her own royal army poured forth, from spearmen to archers to cavalry (which rode on ice tigers. Seriously, they look dope.). A frost giant materialized out of the throne, wielding a huge longsword.

"Have it my way, fools!" Aurora exclaims. "I want no part of this silly truce! I will destroy you if I must!"

The spearmen charged. Franco shouted, "My brethren! We did not wish conflict, so merely defend. Let us retaliate, but make so, to prevent our conscience from blurring!"

As the spearmen made contact, the opposing force pushed them back with all their might. Gatotkaca was knocking down a couple of riders, breaking or splitting them with the gauntlets. He shot forth a bolt of lightning to the second floor, shattering the archers firing the arrows.

Hayabusa and Zhao, along with Freya and Lapu-Lapu, held off the footmen flooding from the staircase. Hayabusa teleported around to make sure some ice archers are going down as well.

"What took you so long?!" Zhao yelled at Lapu-Lapu, who was hacking down the spearmen.

"A blizzard was growing strong! The wind fought our sails!" said the leader.

Yi Sun Shin jumped around, shooting down multiple riders. The bow shot streaks of red light. He was flawlessly slicing down enemies with his glaive whilst shooting arrows from the bow.

He said, "Thank Poseidon for his mercy! We have rescued you before things have gotten haywire! We need to flee!"

Saber was cutting down a group of enemies. Bruno realized Saber released a ring of four flying swords to spin around him, forcing the ice soldiers to keep their distance. He kicked one so high that he followed him upwards, hacking him down with great slashes. To finish the job, the Protector shot his football to the… place where the sun doesn't shine. That ball ricocheted around the other archers, knocking them cold.

"That will help you buy time, Saber!" Bruno said. Saber nodded back at him, charging at a rider attempting to kill him. The swords called back to Saber, shredding the cavalry upon contact.

Layla was on the second floor now, mowing down the endless amount of soldiers. Lolita was blocking the incoming enemy shots with a Noumenon shield projected from the hammer.

"Where are all these things coming from?!" Layla shouted, the noise of the clamor deafening the pair.

Lolita charged the hammer and shot the shield, which was charged due to the kinetic energy of the projectiles. The force wave knocked down a couple of footmen. "Take out Aurora! If she is still conscious, we won't be able to hold them off for much longer!"

Franco hooked an archer from the top and pulled it right to him.

"No escape, you slimy fish!" the Viking shouted, pounding the poor soldier with his hammer. Meanwhile, Bane and the informants hid behind Franco and the Vikings.

"There is too many!" yelled Bane as he shot a projectile of water from his crab claw, which shattered an enemy. "Can someone please take out Aurora?!"

"I am preoccupied here!" Gatotkaca replies as he bangs his gauntlets together. "Come at me, weaklings!"

The soldiers seemed to follow his command. They charged, but Gatot was destroying them. Even if their attacks seemed to hit, Gatot's gauntlets made them go down within seconds. "I have taunted them for a while! Take the giant out!"

Alucard was cleaving through the cavalry. An archer shot an arrow to his head, but the holographic football was still bouncing around. In the precise moment, the arrow was deflected back to another spearman. Bruno dashed around and under the legs of the enemies, distracting them.

Aurora was in fear. She froze many of the Vikings and Koreans, but she is on the losing side.

Alucard marched to Aurora, but was met by Nexos's blade, which he blocked in time.

"I don't want to do this, Hunter," the Royal leader said. "You leave us no choice."

Alucard raised his eyebrow. "Isn't that the other way around?" Nexos raised the sword, but Ruby was behind him. She slashed the soldier down, which left him armless.

"Argh, nuts," Nexos mumbled.

"That's for picking the wrong side, twat!" she mocks and she kicks him to the ground. Ruby pokes Nexos's butt using the end of the scythe, which was actually sharp. She slashed upward to raise the butt of the scythe, which split the ice soldier in two.

"Thanks for the help," Alucard says.

Ruby replied, "I think I still owe you. Now, get the big dude! I'll hold them off for you." She races to the others, spinning around with the huge scythe and stunning the footmen.

Alucard reaches to the unaware Aurora, but the frost giant blocks his way with his sword, which was facing down. The huge soldier swung the sword upward to Alucard's direction. The Demon Hunter had no choice but to dodge the attack. The ground was left with a huge cut.

"Let's get this over with," said Alucard. The frost giant charged, shaking the ground. Alucard jumped high, testing if the greatsword can strike through the ice. Sadly, it hardly made a dent.

"I can't damage the giant!" he yelled, trying to inform someone. "The ice is too thick!"

Aurora hears his voice, and freezes Alucard's feet.

"Nowhere to run, boy! Hahaha!" taunted the Queen. Suddenly, she was knocked down by a projectile from Gord, who was busy forming damage fields and throwing mystic bombs on the enemies.

The frost knight charged to Gord. The mage deployed a magic field on Alucard to melt the ice around him. Gord then let out a huge beam of energy from his hands, which shocked the frost giant. It hit the giant point blank on the chest.

"Fear my wrath, you swine!" he shouts as the beam grows stronger. He was stopped as an archer shoots his calf. Gord screams in pain and shot down the archer. The giant recuperates, but the armor melted down, revealing its heart.

"We need to end this, now!" Hayabusa yells. "Alucard! Now! Shadow Kill!" The ninja dissipates into the shadows and hacks an incoming wave of footmen and cavalry.

The melting wasn't finished yet. Aurora got to her knees and made a sheet of ice on the floor. It may not seem much, but the heroes couldn't gain their footing.

But the icemen can.

They easily subdued the others by pinning them to the pillars or hindering them with their spears. Gatot's gauntlets were frozen down, and the lightning died from it. Lolita and Layla are knocked out, and their weapons were far off from them. Saber is desperately holding off a wave of riders, but his visor gets shut down, making him blind. Hayabusa goes to the rescue, but he slips on the ice. Bruno's ball was caught and disabled. He is now pinned on the wall. Yi Sun Shin and Lapu-Lapu were wounded, blood oozing out of their arms. They couldn't fight anymore. Zhao, Freya and Gord were down and out as well. A spearman breaks Yun's leg, while an archer shoots down Freya's side. Gord was pushed off by a rider, who is pinning him down with the ice tiger.

"Imbeciles," Aurora mutters. "All of you. You thought you could hold me off when I am all by myself? I am a Guardian! I possess what you cannot contain!"

Alucard lost hope. He is silently crying as he accept his fate. But a familiar voice in his head whispered to him.

 _Use your arm! Unlock your powers!_

He hesitated. He didn't want to cause a larger fallout than before. He was done with it.

 _If you wish to know the truth, take the risk. The greatest risk is not taking one._

The voice seemed so familiar, but Alucard can't grasp it. He couldn't recognize it, but the voice comforted him. It gave him a boost.

 _Don't waste all my suffering just for this. You are worth something far more! Use your arm!_

Alucard attempts to switch the arm, but Aurora yanks the sword away from him and freezes it.

"Don't even try it, fool. Your fun and cheers are over for you!"

 _It calls to you. Accept!_

The sword began to glow. It seemed miniscule, but Gord takes note of this. He tries to speak, but closes his mouth.

 _He must do it,_ the mage thought. _There is no other way._

"I have given you the chance to leave," the Queen of Ice yelled at the Demon Hunter. "And yet, you disrespect me and my kingdom! I'd have you suffer here until death calls!"

 _Get up, Child of the Fall._

"Enough."

Aurora's eyebrows scrunched. Hayabusa gasped.

"What did you say?"

She noticed the sword glowing too bright. She throws it away, but it slows down in mid-air. It spins back to Alucard's right arm.

"I… said…"

"GUYS!" Lolita shouted. "TAKE COVER!"

"ENOUGH!"

A huge red force wave struck the whole room. All the ice soldiers broke, splintered and shattered. The frost giant became millions of glass particles. The grand room cracked, and a small earthquake shook the mountain.

Surprisingly, everyone became unharmed. Yi and Lapu's wounds were healed. Zhao's fracture is, and so is Freya's puncture. Lolita helps Layla in regaining footing and brings their weapons that were left on the floor of the second level. Gatot's gauntlets sparked lightning once again. Saber's visor suddenly got repaired.

Everyone was on their feet, but they had their eyes focused on Alucard, who was glowing red.

He gripped the greatsword tightly. He didn't feel it, but he grew insanely powerful. Aurora was hyperventilating.

"You talk about your prowess and your sorrow, yet you do not consider ours!" Alucard shouts. His aura grew.

Aurora was scared. "Wait… I am sorry-"

"YOU'RE SORRY?! WE GAVE YOU THE CHANCE! IF ANYTHING, YOUR ACTIONS HAVE COST US THE WHOLE WORLD!"

Ruby walked to Alucard. "Woah, hey! Stop it!"

Alucard just pushed her aside, not even giving her a glance. His aura burst into flames. His clothes were changing. They were becoming blacker by the second. His greatsword morphed into a flame reaper. Alucard's hair became swept, not tousled. His eyes were burning.

"I did not wish for my friends to suffer these fates! Do not tell me of what you possess, for they become irrelevant under the Dark Lord's wrath!" He grabs Aurora's neck by the left hand and lifts her up. Zhao and Yi was surprised, so they ran to stop him. But they couldn't get close. Alucard's aura actually gave off an intense amount of heat.

"Stop it, Alu! You're insane!" Zhao shouts, but it was no use. Alucard pins the poor Queen to the throne BY THE THROAT.

Aurora couldn't speak. She was choking. "Help… P-Please!"

"ALL WE WANTED WAS PEACE!" Alucard yells even louder, but his voice was like a demon's. His demonic arm blazed with hellfire, and Aurora was desperately trying to break free. "ALL I WANTED WAS TO AVENGE MY FAMILY, BECAUSE I BELIEVED I OWED THEM! I THOUGHT YOU WERE A QUEEN WHO NEEDED SOMEONE TO CONVINCE YOU BACK TO WHO YOU WERE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE COUNSELLING IS NOT EFFECTIVE DUE TO THAT THICK HEAD OF YOURS!" He pounds the Queen's body to the throne, which causes the seat to break. Ruby rushes in front of Alucard and hugs him tight, never minding the killing heat she feels.

"Stop," she whispers. "Please. It's not you. I need you, Alucard. That's not you."

The aura died down. The heat dissipated. Aurora curled into a fetal position, choking and crying. Saber and Gord rushes to Alucard, who suddenly kneels down and hugs Ruby back.

"Oh… God… what?" Alucard stutters, and he was in tears. "No, no! I am sorry!" The pair cries out the pain and regret they feel, as the others comfort them.

"Let's leave," Bane says. "There is nothing worth our time in this freezing hell."

And so the heroes leave with a dark and gloomy shade, leaving Aurora to regret all the things she has done.

As they arrive back at the Glass Beach, Bane and Yi Sun Shin prep their ships for departure.

"We will increase our troops," said Yi. "We will rendezvous along the waters of your kingdom after a week. We hope we may make it in time."

"We are sorry if we have failed," Bane dejectedly says. "This was a disaster."

Alucard didn't speak. He hung his head low, and his sword was on his left arm. Actually, none spoke about the ruckus that happened.

A makeshift portal conjures out in the distance. Out pours Estes and a few of his Royal Elite. He walks up to the group, but then recognizes what has occurred.

"No! This is what I feared!" he says as he runs to Alucard, cupping his face. "My boy, are you all right?" The Demon Hunter swats the hands away and runs to the portal, never saying a word.

"No, wait, come back!" Bruno ordered. "Ah, he's gone. Darn."

"We failed," Franco said. "We are sorry, my liege.

Estes breathed. "At least we have tried. You need to rest and recuperate, for we need to assist the other team for their departure in the morning."

He tells Yi and Bane, "Please, try to join us as fast as possible. The Darkness approaches."

The two captains nodded and walked back to their ships. Their fleet disassembles via wind and water.

"Estes, we need to tell him now," Freya said with urgency. "The boy longs for the truth. We mustn't wait until we lose him forever."

"I know, I have been thinking," the King says. "I think it's time we tell him the truth, lest we fail him."


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Glory and Quiescence and The Not-So-Typical UPS Deliveries**

My absence didn't seem too fruitful at the start, but the corrupted files that I possess seem to mend in place now!

Sure, you can blame me for not uploading a chapter in an earlier time, but, as you can see, being an honor student, aspiring writer, bibliophile and a Legend Rank player in Mobile Legends is absolutely taxing.

I had to point these out because I want you to at least feel for me. I also have a personal life with my friends and family. I hope you feel for the other aspiring authors who are having a really hard time coping up with life. Believe me, a few encouraging words may be all you need to preserve a life with so much potential.

Anyway, if you have developed any theory about the full plot of my story, please post it! If there are exactly ten reviews about it, I will absolutely give a hint or sneak peek in the upcoming chapters. Yes, ten reviews (from ten different people, so stay sharp!)

So, why do I have such a snarky title for the tenth chapter? (I just realized the number 10 is revolving around. I should stop before the conspiracy theorists converge.)

I just want a bit of humor and cheese in this story, but at some point I need to be depressing to jar you b cK t0 R3# li##gyf6 !n O0RD4ERm(&kqa#P%&$s1}{?\\!?

Oh, crud. Sorry.

My prototype file decoder got mixed in with my custom documents. (Facepalm intensifies.)

Don't worry, the FBI ain't meddling with us here. And the files are virus-free. Besides, I undone the mistakes.

As I was saying, I need to jar you back to reality often times to note that the heroes I portray have lives with worth, and that no matter who they are, their humanity is still present, unwavering in their souls… a reminder of who they truly are in this world. The romance in my ships aren't the cheesy, teenage dreams you'd want to relish on. These are real, painful and scarring, which often lead to tragedy.

I made it so that you will pity them as they fall for the world they live in. But never fear! This story has a good ending, so they'll probably live.

Live and die at the same time? Arcturus, how's that even possible? Just read. I have a suitable ending planned already.

I also seem to drop a cliffhanger IN EVERY CHAPTER that I write. I only noticed that when I checked out my stories to find ways to maintain my flow. I decided that I send cliffhangers in almost every chapter to keep you hooked on what happens next.

And if you're wondering, Alucard's appearance hasn't changed ever since the encounter with Aurora. And that I was alarmed about the insane drop of views after I didn't post for a few days. I guess you really want me to upload fast.

Back to the story…

Sure, the feast in the Centaurs' Island was neat and filled with tons of foreign food and scrumptious fluids, though that wasn't on the minds of three people: Chou, Alpha and Miya. They often walked around, worrying about their friends and their wicked escapades, and how awesome it would have been if they were with them right now.

"I wonder what Zhao and the others are doing," Miya said. "I hope they're all right. Aurora is… cold."

Chou scoffed, "Yeah, you tell me! With the team's charisma, she'd most definitely agree."

"I wish," Alpha replies. "Beta can't get any signature on this place. Signal is cut. However…"

"We can ask Hylos!" Cyclops said, appearing out of nowhere, happily drinking on the wine. "Problem solved!"

Chou squinted his eyes, noticing the mage's drink. "Um, Cyclops? You do know that's wine, right?"

The giant peered on the contents of his glass with his blue eye. "Oh… I see. Don't worry. My powers prevent me from getting drunk, anyway." He strolls around the bouquet, walking without any difficulty. Alpha couldn't hint any slur on Cyclops' speech.

"Man, I learn new stuff every day," Chou joked.

Hylos walks up to them, staff still in hand. "I took note of your concern. Is everything alright?"

Miya stood up from her seat. "We wish to see our friends, Hylos. We are worried. We want to know that they're safe."

"Come on," the centaur motioned. "Follow me."

The four walked away from the banquet, in which the centaurs and the other heroes told old tales and sung ancient songs in different languages. Even Clint and Minotaur joined in the fun.

Anyway, as they walked up the Fountain of Youth (or Eternal Life), they see Karrie and Irithel on the slope with Leo the smilodon. The duo were chatting a lot.

"I see why the old man warned you of the future," the archer said to Karrie. "You are part of this war. I merely got here by accident. I am glad I am with the centaurs and other heroes."

Karrie nodded. "We all strive to survive this madness. Pray we walk away from all this in safety and grace." She then sees Chou, Alpha, Miya and Hylos on the scene. "What bring you here?"

"Some personal matters," Alpha replied to the marksman. "You can join in, though."

Irithel beckons Leo up. The smilodon let out a faint growl before following the command. The duo walk along with Karrie and the others to the Fountain.

The Dawn Shard shone brightly, a second star in a terrestrial territory. Hylos dipped the scepter once more into the water, but traced a different mark. The water shifts and projects images.

"Please be good, please be good," Miya silently prays.

What they see first was NOT good at all.

They saw Aurora freezing the bodies of their comrades one by one, forcing them to suffer the intense cold. To intensify the suspense, they could hear the dialogue.

"…intolerability of the chaos! I do not see that same Queen in you!" Layla said, aiming the huge cannon she wields on Aurora. The Queen of Ice simply held Layla by the throat, covering her body in frost.

The scene shifts as only Alucard and Bruno stand inside the Mystic Injunction field placed by Gord before he was immobilized. Alucard's face shown pain.

"Layla is merely my half-sister?" he moans out. This catches the ears of Chou and Miya, but not Alpha, who has immediately known this when he encountered the Malefic Gunner the first time.

The water blurs out and warps back, showing a scene of a large battle within the citadel. Irithel catches the sight of a Korean fleet along with an ethnic tribe and a helmed man with golden lion gauntlets.

"The others have come," Hylos says. "Gatotkaca, warrior of the heavens, has joined Yi Sun Shin and Lapu-Lapu for the war."

The final scene comes into place as Hylos cast small ripples in the water. They gasped.

Alucard was grabbing Aurora by the jugular, slamming her body to the ice throne. No one could come close because of the fiery aura he gave off. His hair was swept, and the appearance of his greatsword and uniform changed. His eyes were aflame. Only Ruby had the guts to pacify him, which brought Alucard back to reality, feeling guilty of what he had done. The other heroes, surprisingly unharmed, join to comfort him. The image blurs, and the scene disappears into the dark nothingness.

"What was that?!" Chou exclaimed. "I've seen some crazy stuff. I have seen cyborgs from different timelines, psychotic girls with huge scary weps, but not this! This isn't Alucard. I swear."

"Sadly, it is still him," Alpha replies. "Estes seems to have planned to tell him everything. And I mean everything."

"It's only fair," Miya adds. "All these occurrences happened in one day. It's too fast."

"Chaos urges time to rush, but it remains constant," Karrie quotes. "Time is of the essence, yet it remains all the same. Haste saves what is essential. Cramming forces the impossible. Evil has manipulated our minds. We must be ready."

"Alucard heard another voice, it seems," Hylos contradicts. "Yes, the first one was the Dark Lord's, but not this one. It seems strangely familiar. Even with my wisdom and expertise, my memories fail to support me in this situation."

"Who could it be?" Irithel asks. "Alucard's mind-reading was passed onto via the demonization process, right?"

The centaur sighs. "No. If your statement was true, he'd hear the voices of demons. These were voices of particular people. Selective, and not broadcast. The question is, who telepathically called Alucard during those scenes?"

"Anything you can think of in particular, Hylos?" Miya interrogates, feeling uneasy.

"It cannot be Estes, that is. He can't intrude the mind without proper reason. He doesn't seem like it," Chou answers.

"You're right, Chou," Alpha supports. "Not even his fellow Hunters would brave to do such a thing. Beta here agrees with you." The drone blips around Alpha, indicating a 'yes'.

"The voice said, 'Don't waste all my suffering just for this.' No one from your present group seems to fit this statement," Hylos said. "It also said, 'Get up, Child of the Fall.'"

"Child of the Fall?" Miya's eyebrows scrunched. "I haven't heard of the Fall for ages."

"Wait, hold up," Chou interrupts. "What's the 'Fall'? What does this have to do with my homie?"

Suddenly, a horn blared, echoing around the island. It was time to sleep.

"We shall talk about this later, Chou," the Grand Warden finishes. "If you want the truth, then we better make it to Estes."

Everyone slept in peace into their own tents. Of course, the centaurs needn't a tent to sleep and a cot to lie down, so they stayed outside.

All were at peace… except Karina, who was dreaming. And they were no simple dreams.

She 'wakes' up to find herself on a high balcony at the citadel of the Land of the Dawn. She sees Hayabusa on the edge, looking down on the kingdom. He's with a girl wearing a blue kimono and held a blue Yin Yang umbrella. Her hair was white and flowing.

"Why are you here?" the ninja says, presumably to the girl.

"I've been looking for you. I thought you were gone, and that you don't want to see me." Karina notices that the girl is silently crying. She feels the same dread from Hayabusa, who seems to be trying so hard to look away from the girl.

He then replies, "Do you know how I have longed to see you again? It hurts whenever I think of you, but I still reminisce, because you're a part of me, and we can't deny that." His voice begins to break.

"It's been too long," the girl says. "We haven't seen each other for a decade! Do you even know the troubles I had to face just to know you once more?!"

"I don't!" the ninja shouts. "I don't know why fate is so unfair to us! I really don't! I love you, and I want to hold you, but we're forced not to touch, because our passion is our demise!" Hayabusa looks at the girl, who covers her face with her hands, weeping terribly. He holds out his hand, but then keeps it back to himself. He was crying as well.

The dream warped. Karina is in an unidentified plain, covered with green hills and thin grass. A faraway meteor from the sky falls down to the ground, emitting a low boom upon contact. Karina's location from the meteor was a couple hundred meters away, but she did see someone come out of the object. Then, an array of meteors showered on the land, and out came a foreign group the Night Elf can't recognize. But one thing is for sure… they're extraterrestrial.

She heard one say, "Escort the Dominator to the Land! He seeks to reap the essence! He longs for power!"

The scene shifted, and she was in a dark row of caverns. Someone from the shadows pop out. Karina despised the figure, for it was Alice.

She was the same ever since. Pale skin, sharp face, purple hair, a revealing outfit, and menacing wings. Blood trickled down the corners of her mouth. She wiped it off with her free hand, for the other one held the body of a child.

(I am not kidding, once more. To see that in your dreams is absolutely disturbing. The corrupted files don't lie. Sorry, now, for the kids who are reading this, since you may not be one for violent themes. You can skip away if you're scared.)

She simply threw the pale body to a pile of corpses, consisting of bodies from different races. As long as blood is present, the Queen of the Apocalypse gets it.

"Vexana, things are going according to plan," she said. From another side came Vexana, who was once beauteous royalty, but today, merely a fear.

Her skin was greyish, and her physique is very thin. Her hands were long, gnarly claws. Her headdress was as flowing and frightening as Alice's. She hovers in the air, accompanied by a few of her spirits.

"As long as they are so, the Master will remain pleased," Vexana replies to Alice. "So far, no hindrance was detected."

"Only an unexpected meteor shower," Alice interrupts. Vexana was taken aback.

"What does this mean, Alice? Someone has interfered?"

Alice laughs cruelly. "No, my dear. Someone just wants a part of his claim, and we can come to terms with that."

Vexana sighs. "Alice, don't you fear the converging forces? Our enemies grow stronger within the hour! Why aren't we acting? We have only put Moskov in the field to at least hinder the progress for the retrieval of the 3rd shard."

"He is merely a pawn," the Queen answers. "An elite hound of ours, scouting every move of every fool in his sight. He does his job well. He won't betray us."

Vexana tries to contradict. "But it's only a matter of time before A-"

Alice suddenly hisses at the Necromancer with distaste. "Never mention that name! Even if that vile being has betrayed his virtues, he poses a threat! Something far more than the unaware Demon Hunter. Tempt not desperate men, for they can shift the tides alone."

The Necromancer nods. "So, what shall we do?"

"We gain our own forces and let our pawns do the bidding for us. If we show ourselves inappropriately, the Master shall disagree within the Chest he resides in."

Alice then yanks a body of a woman from the pile of bodies, already dead, due to a broken neck. She clamps her teeth on the neck and seeps out all the blood from under her. The body thinned and weakened until it was greyish and no more. Alice throws the body away from somewhere else.

"Waste not," she mutters.

The dream warped to the final scene. She was inside a room. It was very grand, so she assumed royalty lived inside. She looked out the window.

The view was majestic. Beautiful gardens came into Karina's view, peppered with different flowers. A marble fountain was in the middle of the floral maze. A girl, presumably the princess, sat on the fountain. She wore a white dress and a laurel crown. A wand and sword were on her hands. Karina couldn't help but think that this woman resembles a swan.

She said, "Who are we to not leave this place? The wonders of the world are not present in the heart of Swan! I might have to disobey my family, but I have no choice."

"Hey, you all right?"

Karina wakes up with a jolt. Hilda crouched next to her, checking the conscious assassin.

"You were breathing a tad too fast," Hilda replies. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"I dreamed a lot more than usual," Karina heaves. "I've seen too much in one night."

"You need to tell us, mate," said Clint, who woke up as well. "Anything in particular?"

Karina mentions the dream about Hayabusa and the mysterious girl, the meteor shower, Alice and Vexana and the swan-looking princess.

"The Palace of Swan?" Hilda asks. "If anything, you dreamed of Odette! But… we should be the ones to pick them up. We can't let her go out alone."

Clint replies, "She's fed up from being stuck there. We can't blame her. Have you seen Lancelot?"

"No," Karina answers. "That's her fiancé, right?"

"About to be," said Hilda. "What of Hayabusa? What's so important with that dream?"

"It's something about the girl," Karina says. "He hasn't told me anything about her. Not a single breath."

"And they're to meet. Hayabusa doesn't seem eager to see her, even if…" the cowboy stops, then says in shock, "Wait, Hayabusa has a girlfriend?!"

"We must ask him once we get back. At least we know Vexana and Alice are laying low. But who were they talking about?"

Hilda starts rounding down the topics. "You said Alice doesn't want to hear a certain name. Starts with the letter 'a', right?" Karina nods. "And that they know of the meteor shower and the aliens. But… who is Moskov?"

"A friend of Zhao and Hayabusa's. The Spear of Quiescence," Clint answers. "He wishes to avenge his fallen brethren from the Khan of Thornwolf, which he did. But he has fallen into evil. We can't trust him. We must prepare for his arrival. As for the 'a', I don't have the foggiest idea."

"It could be an angel," Karina suggests. "Who would Alice fear, anyway?"

"But not Rafaela," says Hilda. "Why not we wait until sunrise then discuss it with the king?"

All three agreed and went back to sleep.

The next morning, Hylos, the heroes and the other Centaurs make their way to the fountain. Balmond numbered the centaurs. About a hundred only were present.

"My brethren!" Hylos announced before them. "The hour of vigilance is at hand! We have prepared for this untimely event with all our strength. The Dawn Shard we harbor must be escorted to Estes, the Elven King, safe and sound! Never fear the evil that wishes to claim our lands, or the deception that arises within Gaius, for the light shall be our guide through our journey to the stars!"

"Hoorah!" chanted the centaurs, raising their weapons high.

"Let the demons of hell rue this day, whilst we rejoice, for the Land of the Dawn has united the world once more!"

Hylos then reaches for the Shard on the top of the fountain. He prays, "May the Lords of Order be with us, now and forever." He then grabs it and places it on a knapsack.

A rumble sounded around the island. The flocks of birds flew away, startled and frightened.

"What's that?" Balmond asked.

"Something bad," Miya replies. They were on top of the fountain's hill. They could see the whole landscape… even the beaches of the island.

Alpha was flying around on Beta, scanning the whole place. He then detects movement on his east… a lot of movement.

He zoomed in. Multiple water demons were rising out of the waters, desperately grasping and clinging on the sand, trying to crawl. They were of no direct origin, but they were covered with kelp and corals. Wet, grey hair flowed from their heads. Their physique was thin, but their claws were long, and designed for multi-purpose use. Their faces were barely indistinguishable, but one thing is for sure.

Those are some sharp, nasty mouths.

"Hostiles detected," Beta warned. "Request immediate evacuation."

"Everybody! Dive!" Hylos beckoned the heroes. Five by five, the heroes and the centaurs dived down the fountain to reach the other side.

"Let's go, Leo!" Irithel encouraged the smilodon, before it leaped as well.

"Here we go again," Chou grumbled. "Geronimo!"

Alpha volunteered to go last. He was alarmed by the amount of demons covering the whole island. They travelled with insane speed… 15-20 meters per SECOND.

(If you do the math, that's 1.2 km/h in a minute. And the radius of the island is only 1.5 kilometers.)

"Alpha! Get in!" Karina shouts. "Time to go!"

"Welp, gotta hurry!" mumbles the cyborg.

Alpha jumps off of Beta, gripping the cybernetic spear tightly. He can sense the demons closing in. Seven seconds remained. (Imagine how fast that is.) He barely recognizes the lush forest he discovered yesterday.

He and Beta dive right on time before the grips of a couple of demons got them. But there was something unusual that occurred.

During the initial dive, there was no huge reservoir of water that he had to swim through. He simply popped out of the other side on his feet. Alpha got slightly dizzy to the sudden transition.

"Phew, that was close," Clint said. "You," he points to Alpha, "have a hell of a death wish!"

"I can't die," Alpha replies. "As long as my diagnostics are online."

Cyclops wedges in. "Um, Alpha? That was a joke."

"Oh." Minotaur facepalmed. (Yes, the big boy himself did so.)

"Well, look who's here," said a familiar voice. The Empyrean Turtle was back again. "How's the trip?"

"Why didn't we need to swim farther?" Miya asks.

The turtle answers, "After Hylos took the shard out, a remainder of the fountain's magical properties remained, but it didn't include the protective barrier of water. After the last person got out, the island exploded."

"Wait, what?!" Karina exclaims.

"Yeah! Cyclops, show them."

The mage lets out his hourglass and sets it down. He pressed a button from the tip of the object. A holographic projection of the island appeared, showing the summit. Cyclops swept his hand slowly on the holograph, and the island erupted as a volcano, incinerating the demons that surged on the land.

"Woah," Hilda mutters, amazed. "So, what should we do?"

Hylos and the other centaurs come into view. "We leave the oasis and get to Estes' makeshift portal. He designates it 12 kilometers away."

"Why so far?" Minotaur complains. "We can't cover that much distance in a short time."

"We can," Hylos says. "Someone will come to bring a couple of you in."

The Grand Warden raises his staff, which shone brightly. A wide, bluish path was cast starting from him. The path extended far away. It didn't go exactly straight, as it dodged a couple of sand dunes along the way.

"This pathway increases our speed," Hylos explains. "But we need to leave the turtle behind."

"I am to stay and hold them off," it adds. "I'll buy you the time."

"Wait, hold what off?" Chou interrogates.

Another rumble grew from the dark, chaotic side of the oasis. A horde of demons, mainly Ravagers, Hellhounds and Wombats were on the scene, going straight to the oasis.

"We must hurry, now!" Hylos urges. He and the other centaurs gallop for it.

"Farewell, brave heroes," the Empyrean Turtle says. "It was a pleasure to be with you, at least for a time." He turns to face the oncoming horde going closer to the lake.

"Run!" Karrie yells. The heroes make a run for it, never minding the sudden speed boost from the path. Irithel saw the turtle breathing out a death ray to the demons, who had their attention diverted. They grouped around the turtle and clawed him down, but doesn't seem to take note of the crystal on the back, which was the weak spot of the turtle.

The heroes sped down the sand dunes, catching up with the centaurs. They didn't feel out of breath, and were able to catch up within a minute.

"Man, this is so fast!" Chou cheered. "Unfair that Alpha could fly."

Alpha, who was on Beta once more, hovered around the air to scan the surroundings. He found out that the demons who chose to get in the pathway severely slowed down. Though, the fastest ones seem to gain even more speed away from the path, getting close to the group. Luckily, the early bird was still a decent 172 meters away, while the wombats are having a hard time flying, due to the resistance of the pathway Hylos conjured.

"They're becoming slowpokes!" Hilda yelled. "I like this idea!"

Out of the corner of Hylos's eye, a small group of demons are coming from their west, foolishly attempting an ambush. Irithel and Clint went into the left side and shot down the demons, who were skidding down the sand dunes. Two got too close and tried to leap on the marksmen, but Leo swatted one out of the path, while Minotaur sent the next one sky high with the slap of his hammer.

"Home run, baby!" Alpha cheered as Beta littered the flying enemy with bullets.

"A few Wombats, incoming!" Chou shouts. A dozen of the gnarly, bat-winged creatures came into view with rusty pitchforks and spears. They dived down from behind the heroes, attempting to snag one with their rods.

Miya nocked an arrow and let it fly, hitting one right in the dome. Cyclops lets away cosmic star energy to try and control the demons. The projectiles were slow, so he didn't hit anyone, but it was enough for Karrie to deal with them with her holographic lightwheels. She sidestepped around and around, launching them until the last demon goes down and out. Any downed Wombat was chopped by Hilda and Balmond.

"Faster, faster and faster," Karrie chanted those words like a mantra while the number of Wombats increased, swarming around them.

The centaurs took note of this, so a few from the backline had their bows drawn to give breathing room. But the number of Ravagers grew, seemingly catching up.

"We can't hold this off!" Alpha warned, desperately stabbing and whacking Wombats and Ravagers mid-air, Beta constantly raining bullets. "Wait! Someone is coming!"

"Where?" Karina asks, dashing around, silently, yet quickly finishing off the Ravagers one at a time.

"Right there, on that sand dune!" Alpha points to a hill of fine sand, approximately 392 meters away from the group. It was right next to the pathway on the east side.

"Hold tight! I am stepping on the gas!" a voice called out. It was Johnson on his car form on top of the hill, engine revving.

"Watch out!" Chou warns the group. Hylos sees this.

"Brethren, split!" the centaurs split to hug the edges of the blue path, giving a driveway for the Mustang to use. Johnson speeds down the hill as he leaves a trail of dust. Everybody makes way for the car as he lands on the blue trail.

"Wait for it!" Cyclops says, readying his magic. Johnson then slams into the incoming horde and transforms back into his human form, clearly unfazed.

"Boom-Pow!" Johnson said, releasing a barrage of missiles that directly hit the surviving Wombats and Hellhounds. Cyclops surrounded himself with five magic orbs that spun around him. He became even faster as he dived toward the frontlines courageously. Hylos followed suit with a few centaurs as Cyclops's orbs homed towards a couple of monsters. Hylos and his friends overwhelm the next demon wave like a stampede.

Chou dashed toward the front and slammed hard to the earth with a fist of chi. He dashed once more and kicked an incoming Wombat to the group, following it up with a barrage of kicks that pummeled the poor flyer to death.

After a couple of seconds, the amount of demons reduced, and the next wave was confirmed to be 500 meters away and closing, 5 meters per second.

"This is fun!" Alpha says. He spoke too soon.

A huge, black spear darted from the horde, catching a few centaurs unawares. Shocked with this encounter, Alpha orders Beta to scan the horde. Leading it… was Moskov, who obviously threw the destructive spear in the first place. Every few seconds, he teleports forward, gaining much more distance than the demons behind him. He's closing in at 4 times the usual rate.

"It's Moskov!" Johnson warns. "Miya, Karina, Balmond, Hilda, Chou, Karrie, ride on me! You won't outrun him, but the others can!"

The six clamor to ride on Johnson, who was back in car form. Since there was insufficient room, Karrie volunteered to stay on the roof.

"Continue our journey! 4.1 kilometers left!" Hylos urged.

Meanwhile…

I wouldn't leave out the ladies and gentlemen from the other side, right?

Here's how it went.

All of the heroes have rested, reminiscing on the occurrences yesterday. It has somewhat been marked permanently on their minds.

(In all honesty, I had to scroll back up to see who were the heroes who were assigned. Sorry, faulty memory. Again, they were… Alucard, Layla, Lolita, Bruno, Gord, Hayabusa, Zhao, Freya, Ruby and Saber.)

So let's have a rundown on their stuff.

Saber is replaying the events of yesterday, and analyzes every frame into his internal storage. He is in A5, with Bruno and Lolita.

Bruno wasn't playing his video games, or practicing kicks. He stuck himself lying in bed, worrying about Alucard's condition. His anxiety rose as he randomly fidgeted with his fingers.

Lolita, to calm her mind, worked on the blueprints of the mech she was previously working on. However, she can't seem to remove the thought of Layla.

Layla sits in the mess hall, head down. The Cannon rests on the table. She wants to sleep, but she can't knowing Alucard knows that the two were just half-siblings.

Gord is with Eudora, Nana and Harley, who were self-meditating. He constantly streams around with his board, honing his magic. However, he fears that the foundation of trust is crumbling.

Zhao, Hayabusa and Freya volunteered for the patrols. Yet, their path seems to always converge to the Demon Hunters' camp. Hayabusa teleports around, scanning the area. The portal left on the main gate showed no signs of activity.

As for our main protagonist… it's really not fine.

Alucard imprisoned (exaggeration detected) himself within his tent, not letting anyone in or out. He forces himself to remember his wiped memories. Bits and pieces come, but he doesn't comprehend.

Ruby was forced to remain outside the tent and encourage the Demon Hunter to get out.

"Hey! You need to come out!" she beckons. "If you need anyone, I am right here."

No reply.

"I know what you're feeling. What Aurora said was true. But she did that to mess your head!"

Now there was. "So what?! I learn that Layla is just my half-sister, and that I have a lost ancestry! Tons of important knowledge intentionally wiped away!"

Ruby sighed. "Are you angry with Layla?"

"No! I am angry about the fact no one lets anything out of their heads!"

"Can't you just read their minds?"

"No," Alucard grunted. "It's just unfair."

"Chivalry is already dead. Can't you see that?" Ruby points out.

"It isn't dead. It's dying." (Take note of that, ladies and gents. And yes, this is what he literally said, based on the files.)

"Hey." Ruby caressed the fabric of the tent. "I don't care about the facts. Not now. I care about you. You've wished to give me the comfort I need and deserve. I know you think you owe your lives to every soul you failed to save. I know you want to avenge your friends and family. But I want you to know that no matter what, we're proud of you."

A moment of silence ensues. Freya hears the conversation and closes in.

"No matter what, we'd be right beside you, and face the problems you face. We'd be right there when you need it. It's not because you owe us, Alucard. We owe you, no matter how hard you reject it. You're drowning in your own reality. You have to blink and see."

Alucard really wished to open the tent, but then hesitated.

"Please. I may have known you for two days, but you're the closest friend I have. And I am sorry for losing my cool every now and then."

Ruby crouched down and slowly unzipped the entrance to the tent. She sees Alucard, slowly morphing back to his original form.

The Demon Hunter she recognizes.

She hugs him tightly, and he responds. Their faces buried themselves on their shoulders.

"I am here. If the world falls, I won't crumble," Ruby exhales. "Your friends owe you for all that you've did. And I tell the truth."

Zhao and Hayabusa hear the conversation and decide to listen in.

"Is it weird that I agree to pair them up?" Zhao asks.

Hayabusa shook his head. "No. I actually agree with you. Though, I pity them."

"Why is that?"

"Their lives are broken. And now, they wish to put it back. Not like jigsaw puzzles, but like a mirror."

Zhao is confused. "Why compare it to a mirror?"

"Mirrors are made of reflective glass. They risk themselves to assemble a borderline-impossible feat. In the end, they see themselves. But will they see themselves as how they were before?"

"Man, you cut deep."

"Take it from me," the ninja boasts, "who actually had a thing."

"Stop it with the roasting," Zhao snickers.

Hayabusa switches the topic. "Aren't you laying your eyes on Miya?"

The spearman scoffs. "Dude. She's my best friend. Though, I'd let fate play with my life for a bit."

"Don't let it get to you, mate."

"Why? Got you too?"

The ninja scoffs. "One day… things will be perfect."

"That, we wish all the same."

Freya barges in. "Why just stand there? You two look like stalkers."

"Come on now," Yun replies. "It's long since we saw this kind of stuff. The prophecy gets the nerves often times."

We move on to the mages.

"This is becoming boring," Nana said to Harley.

"Patience, Nana," the fellow mage answers. "Estes knows what he is doing, and he wouldn't let you out of here that easily. I mean, look at Fanny."

He points towards the Hovering Blade, flying around the Land of Dawn, though, never going over the border.

"Even with her flying, she can't cross the boundaries. She's still recovering a bit, but after a while, she'll soar!" Harley enthusiastically said to the bored cat elf, who was growing sleepier by the minute.

Nana yawns, "Yeah, guess you're right." She begins to slump on Harley's shoulder. It was a good thing the trickster's reflexes paid off.

"You're still in the citadel," Harley pointed out. That became irrelevant, for Nana had fallen asleep.

"Ugh, fine."

Eudora barges in in time. "What seems to be the matter?"

"She's asleep, again," Harley said dejectedly.

"I'll help you out," replied the sorceress.

After a few minutes of travelling back to Nana's house (A4 with the other mages), the pair walks back to the citadel.

"When will we get briefed?" Harley asked. "This takes too long. Only Cyclops had his first mission!"

"Now, now, Harley," comforts Eudora. "It may seem absurd, but it took me two months to get recruited for the 2nd shard. Gord and I are experienced enough. You and Nana still need training. But, I did hear Estes would put you in a future mission."

"YES! WOOHOO!" Harley cheers so hard he didn't realize he bumped on Gord, who barely reacted.

"Oops, sorry," he apologizes.

Gord lets out a grin. "It's all right. When I was your age, I was deeply excited to use magic. Since my guide was a pessimist, he stated all the negative effects of magic."

Eudora's eyes widened. "Was he wrong to tell you that?"

"Most of the time," Gord answers. "After a couple of battles, my body primarily relied on magic, and what you see before you is the consequence of reliance." He points to himself. Harley nodded in awe.

"But I see passion and drive in you. One day, you will be with us into battle, and you won't disappoint your fallen friends."

"Gotta go now! Estes needs me," rushes Harley, who checked his watch. Five minutes before personal assessment. He blinks away, leaving his hat. After four seconds, the hat poofed out smoke, and was gone, too.

"Fallen friends?" Eudora asked. "What do you mean?"

Gord replies, "You know of Harley's true world. He fought the feared Dark Wizards. He lost a lot of his comrades after destroying the core of Demorte. Apparently, it all happened in an alternate dimension. Lolita, Bruno, Alpha and Saber died horribly in the hands of Demorte. He fears the same fate, even until today."

"And he's 12?!" Eudora exclaims. "I want to grant the boy his wishes, but does he have the potential? Not that I doubt, but he has faced a lot."

"He remains unwavering," Gord supports. "If he falls, we catch him. I promised him that."

Suddenly, a loud horn blares. Something is up.

The two mages rush to see what's happening. In the distance, the main gate is opening, revealing the straight, sunlit pathway. Saber joins in and checks.

"Carriage has arrived," said the swordsmaster. "Chased by demons. Intervention required."

"It's not Johnson and the Centaurs?" Freya asks.

Bruno slides up to the group, using his adjustable goggles to see. "Wait a minute. What's that big, costumed tubbo doing on top of the carriage?"

BACK TO THE CAR CHASE.

(Sorry to surprise you XD)

The Centaurs were slightly scratched after feeling Moskov's Spear of Destruction. They turned around a huge sand dune, and Alpha, who was holding off the other demons, could see the wide portal.

"Portal, dead ahead! 2.1 and closing!" yelled the cyborg as he whacks a Wombat and shoots it down with Beta.

"Be lively, brothers!" Hylos says. "Our safety draws near!" The Centaurs gallop faster than ever, then slowed down a bit.

Hylos knocks on Johnson's window and hands the satchel to Karina with the shard. "Keep this with you. We will give enough cover."

Karrie realizes that the Centaurs made a protective ring around them. They buffed the pathway, helping the heroes on foot, who were Minotaur and Irithel. Leo sprinted as fast as he could, trying to dodge any Wombats' pierces and any slashes from Ravagers. Moskov frantically throws his spears around, but Minotaur deflects or tanks the shots, seemingly NOT in pain. The beast bellows, which disrupts the footing of the evil marksman. Nevertheless, the stampede ensues, and a huge sandstorm is converging on the left side.

"We better hurry, folks!" Clint peeks on the window. "The dust mites are coming!"

Miya enhances her eyesight with her bow, and discovers a shocking truth. "Guys… that's no sandstorm."

Another massive horde of Hellhounds and Stalkers frantically try to ambush the group, which was still a kilometer away. Hylos and the others kill off the demons behind them, forcing Moskov to lag behind.

"750 meters and closing!" shouts Alpha. He detects erratic movement from behind. Moskov pauses in place and charges his throwing spear, dark mass swirling around.

"DUCK!" says Irithel. Moskov throws another gigantic spear that impales 5 centaurs and cuts Leo. 3 of the centaurs died on the spot. The others were bleeding out hard. Minotaur goes to the rescue, but the two reject.

"Don't," said one. "We cannot follow you further. We shall stand and fight." They face Moskov, and chant, "For the Light!" as they hopelessly fend off the mobile marksman who finished them off easily. Fortunately, Karrie's lightwheel punctures Moskov's spear arm, rendering him unable to fire.

"That's what you get, scum," Karrie spat.

The demons behind retreated, noticing their failed mission. 300 meters remained, but the other horde is closing in. Cyclops sees the Spear fly towards the portal. Hilda sees this as well.

"NO!" the huntress exclaims as the spear flies through the portal.

"Almost there!" Hylos yells. 10 seconds before the demons reach them. They only needed seven.

The escort braces as they charge through the portal, leaving the failed demon horde to choke on the dust. Moskov grimaces, but wasn't disappointed. He said nothing as he thought of how foolish the group thought they were being targeted.

Because he aimed for what's on the other side.

Before this all happened, Estes conjured the portal, though he couldn't see what's behind.

Alucard, Ruby, Bruno, Lolita, Zhao, Saber, Freya, Hayabusa, Harley and Nana waited nervously. Tigreal, who was keeping a close eye on the other carriage with Natalia, impatiently did the same.

"We help Hylos and the others recover after this," Estes ordered. "We'll-"

The Spear of Destruction appears out of the portal with such speed. The others couldn't react fast, but Hayabusa predicted this.

In a split second, he pushes his fellow heroes to the other side, teleporting maniacally as he tries to prevent them from getting hit. After he pushes Freya off, he teleports after the last MILLISECOND as the spear continued its path. It pierced through the dome of the citadel, a couple of statues crumbling down. Due to Elven technology, the building repaired itself after a few seconds, reassembling every broken part one by one until it was fixed.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Harley shouted in fear. "OH GOD! HOW?!"

"That was Moskov's spear," Hayabusa explained. "It's a good thing I knew."

"What?!" Zhao exclaims. "He was chasing the group?"

"Apparently," Alucard barges in. He looks on the other heroes, apparently dazed due to the sudden transition. Ruby helps Estes on his feet and picks up the moonlight Codex. Her eyes widen as she sees something on it, but she looks away. (Alucard reads her mind and realizes that she saw a part of the 2nd prophecy, but she doesn't remember what she saw.)

Hylos and Johnson run out of the portal, shard in tow. Minotaur and Hilda followed suit.

Bruno eyed on Irithel and Karrie. "Who are they?"

Karrie hears this and says, "Let the introductions rest for now. There's the other carriage." She points to the runaway carriage, trying to escape the demon ambush.

Tigreal walks in front of the path, without Natalia. He raises his shield fearlessly.

"What are you doing?" Nana asks, aiming with her boomerang.

"Putting the vehicle to a halt." Tigreal sprints, charging straight to the damaged carriage with his raised shield. As the two objects came into contact, the car abruptly stops, being lifted high up the ground.

"What?!" Lolita was in shock. She realizes that the shield didn't get a dent. Behind the carriage was a leaping demon, ready to pounce on the gilded knight. Tigreal made sure it met his blade, and the Ravager was cut into two.

"Now, Natalia!" Tigreal ordered. Out of the bushes, Natalia spun and dashed with her bright claw, mincing the scum into multiple bits. An armored panda leaps out of the mid-air carriage, along with a girl with a blue umbrella.

"Let me have some of that action, kiddos!" the panda said as he bounced on top of a poor Stalker, crushing its body.

The girl launched her umbrella towards the distracted demons, yelling, "Shogyo Mugyo!" Multiple violet links generated from the umbrella, tethering to the demons. The enemies try to run, but growl in fear as they slowed down. After a while, the demons suddenly transitioned to the umbrella in such force that some of their limbs were torn.

The girl teleports back to the umbrella, dazing the demons. She casts an area spell that knocks them all away, leaving them dead. The last demon leaped on her, but Hayabusa chops it down in mid-air before it dissolves to dust.

"Well, best that I go now," Chou mumbles. "Dang, I am not even on the same league as these dudes."

"Who are you?" Tigreal asks the panda. "Why were you chased on one of our royal carriages?"

"I am Akai," the panda bows, along with Frogger, who was on his hat. "I assume the Land of the Dawn is here, right?"

"Yes," Hayabusa answers. Zhao felt uneasy. He senses huge dread within the ninja, who couldn't look on his right, where the girl is. She hides her face with her umbrella, her blue kimono flowing with the wind.

Akai walks proudly to the entrance, then asks, "Where's the mess hall? I am famished."

"Let me show you!" Cyclops happily volunteers as he holds Akai's hand to escort him. The blue girl walks to the group in silence.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asks. "Is there something unusual?"

"Yeah," Miya says. "Hayabusa, you okay?" She calls out to the ninja, who was zoning out, tears silently streaming down his face. He walks slowly, but doesn't answer.

"Bad news?" Layla asks, who arrives late in the scene.

"Your friend cannot contain his past," Hylos explains. "Guilt and shame haunts him."

"Who is the girl?" Alucard asks. "Tell me! Something is wrong with Hayabusa, and we deserve to know!"

"Hayabusa had a friend, a close one," Estes says, taking the satchel from Karina, who speeds off. "They were inseparable… until fate played with their lives. The girl you see faces the same thing as well."

"And her name is Kagura," Saber answers. "Hayabusa's lover."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Conversations**

So…

Here we are again.

This may seem random… but we have to talk about love once more.

Don't say that this is unimportant. Don't take too much of this as a joke, too. But I won't leave out the humor, I swear!

Romance is always the prioritized genre in the whole world of . Your browsing will be flooded with tons of OTPs, and you will have a hard time choosing a side… unless the pair is officially fixed, or if you have already decided.

And wanna know what I did? I didn't put Romance as my genre for the story. And since my story doesn't focus on this too much, I get lesser views, reviews, favorites and follows than the others.

But do I care? No!

For me, it seemed appropriate to NOT do so. There are multiple reasons why.

1\. Often cheesy

2\. Lacks enough content/context (often times)

3\. Inappropriate content (Rated M)

4\. Any undesired ship is immediately scanned for, and the viewers will lay it on you

5\. People will force you to put their desired ships, even if they do not match

6\. And most importantly… often lacks a central plot

Take note of No.6. There's no proper plot for those romantic ships (in some cases). No intention to offend… but look at the Romance Fanfiction of the game! And the spelling isn't right… same with the grammar, which leaves me triggered.

I do not wish to discourage fellow authors, but please! My teachers always tell me that every single bit of detail is important. Simply putting a 2k+ word chapter with a brief one-shot won't work.

(I'd also like to note of the weird 5v5 plot. Like… y tho? Why do that? They fight with no proper reason. And the quotes/lines of certain characters are randomly put without the tension or emotion. If you put a line of a certain hero at the right part of the story, you can make your viewers scream like they've just watched the Infinity War trailer, which is pretty dope.)

Actually, the Avengers and Justice League was one of my inspirations to write this story.

Back to love…

Also, love is simple, yet complicated. You have to verse it out correctly for the viewers to FEEL. Emphasis on FEEL. That's the point of the whole thing. It's like a balloon. Inflate slowly… and slowly… until it bursts.

This genre is never forced or rushed, never to be too slow. It should be calm and soothing, to raging and destructive. It should match its characters and its plot. It should all align.

The ending is yours to choose.

Love… is eternal, and yet, not.

It is free.

It is painful.

It destroys.

It burns.

It kills.

It corrupts.

It deceives.

It is a monster.

But… when will we realize…

That love is in our grasp… and that…

We just don't feel it?

Aren't we worthy enough to feel it?

Aren't we the ones who do all these sinful things?

Aren't we the ones… who destroy?

The ones who destroy what is good and replace it with evil?

When will we see it?

Love is not evil.

It will never be.

It has never destroyed.

It has never deceived.

It has never killed.

It has never burnt someone to the point of death.

It has never corrupted.

It has never been painful.

For love is free. As free and as pure as the dove who watches over the lovers he is destined to guard.

As calm as the wind, as soothing as soft touch.

As precise as the sword, and as strong as stone.

As precious as the rarest gems of the world.

As eternal as the stars… but it shall fade.

Along with the evil inside.

It's the work of the darkness, not the light! It's the one that misleads us to wrongdoings.

Love is free… unrestrained. Destined by Fate. Intertwined by Faith. Fortified by hope.

And if we force love… would it be as true as all I have said?

If you say yes... who then, are we, to deserve it?

It's what our heroes fight for.

It's what urged them to do the impossible.

And guess what? They did.

No matter who they were… they deserve to be among the stars with the other pure fallen.

And if the world thinks of love the other way around… we shouldn't be here.

Back to the story. RISE AND SHINE FROM THE FEELS, BOYS AND GIRLS! Hahahaha! Got you there!

Even Alucard can't grasp the facts. Hayabusa has a thing?! But he assumed this is something serious. Saber's grave tone was giving him chills. Balmond, Hilda, the mages, Minotaur, Irithel, Karrie, Tigreal, Natalia, Estes and Hylos have already left, along with Karina. No one will side up with them to face the music.

"What's with that Akai dude?" Chou asks. "He seems out of his mind."

"Her companion," Zhao says. "He was ordered by her family to guide her."

"But do they know of her true intentions?" Miya asks with worry, looking at the ninja. He hasn't changed since.

Zhao frowns. "No. They're forbidden to at least see each other."

"We gotta ask that panda," Bruno suggests. "We might probably know more."

"Our only chance, mates," Clint barges, spinning his revolvers.

They find Akai, solemnly praying before his dumpling-and-noodle meal. Afterwards, he eats quietly, which is unprecedented.

Since pandas don't eat that quietly.

Hayabusa joins in, too, though, he remains silent.

"Um… Akai?" Freya starts. "Can we talk to you for a second?"

The hungry panda looks up. "Yeah, sure thing! I've got a lot of time in the world."

The others sit down next to Akai, calmly minding his business.

"So, whatcha need?" he begins, his frog napping on the edge of his hat.

"You may not answer if you wish to," Ruby answers. "But… what's with Hayabusa and Kagura?"

Akai kept on eating, though he minded his table manners. "*gulp* Well, you see here, I merely swore to Kagura's family to protect her, but I didn't know I'd be with her to find _him._ " He swung his head to Hayabusa, who sat the farthest.

"Not like that. I mean, what's their relation?"

Akai set down his chopsticks and remained motionless. After ten seconds, he replied, "Absolutely no clue. Kagura never tells me anything! I'd understand, but she must be open at some point in time, you know? But I am sure she said that they were… something more." He keeps a careful eye on Hayabusa.

"I think it would be best if we leave him alone for now," Layla says. The second she said that, she sees Kagura enter the mess hall to approach the panda. Worried, she puts her gaze back to Hayabusa, who was already gone.

"Woah, that's his power?" Akai exclaims in wonder. "Awesome! Wish I had that, though I'd be too chubby. Ha!" He realizes what that meant when he sees Kagura. "Oh… that's why. Ey, what's up?"

The girl shrugged. "Nothing much. It's a bit cozy here."

(Alucard's mind reading is buzzing hard. He is feeling tons of dread from Kagura.)

"I need to take a break, guys," he says. "Nature calls."

"Yeah, sure dude," Zhao replies.

Alucard doesn't run to the restroom, but to the Citadel. He sees no one there but Estes. The Demon Hunter assumes that the others might be in the underground chamber.

"Are you all right?" Estes asks. "You seem a little pale."

"I am fine, Estes, but thank you. I just can't stand it," Alucard complains. "The emotions keep on rushing in my head. I am so confused." He begins to hyperventilate.

"Calm down, my boy," the king comforts. "Just breathe and take it in slowly. Is there anything you'd want from me for the time being?"

"The 2nd part of the prophecy."

"Ah, I thought you'd request for it at some point. It's time, my son, to know."

"It's only been two days and things are spiraling," Alucard notes. "We have to slow down a bit."

"3 weeks and 2 days is a lot of time, I suppose. Let's follow your advice."

The pair walk up to the Sacred Library. Upon entering, the grand doors slowly closed shut and locked themselves down. Estes casts lock runes and concealments on the windows.

"We can never be too sure," Estes explains. "You may share this with your friends, however. Still, remain vigilant."

He opens his Moonlight Codex and flips the pages. Right smack on the very middle of the book was a scripture.

"Where was your last stanza?"

Alucard thinks… "Um… something about… _Two female-_ "

"I see it," Estes abruptly answers. "Thank you. It says here…

 _ **Centaur and Gods, always included  
Coming from sanctuaries secluded  
Predator and Rider guided by sight  
Hunting fearlessly in the starry night**_

"Gatot, Hylos, and Irithel," Alucard says.

"Your insight serves you well," Estes says, smiling. "We should move on, my child."

 _ **The Elven King is their command  
Through his words, they shall proudly stand  
To let Gaius see the sun once more  
And accomplish this untimely lore**_

"This seems too easy, right?" someone starts. Hayabusa appeared out of the shadows next to Alucard.

"Man, can you not frighten us?" Alucard jokes.

The ninja smiles. "I'll try."

Estes rolls his eyes. He reads.

 _ **The descent of the extraterrestrial  
Marks the attendance of something bestial  
Planets scoured, ours is found  
Best we keep it safe and sound**_

"Zhask," Estes says with a dark tone. "I knew it. Karina has told me. He has come."

"Zhask? Who is he?" Hayabusa ponders.

Estes answers, "The lord of the Kastiyans. He can summon the otherworldly Dominator, a sentient being that merely seeks to destroy worlds within its wake. They shall never stop until this place is ours. I still don't know how he got here in the first place."

"Signals? Scouts?" Alucard suggests. "Or luck?"

"We shall see."

 _ **Only one can confirm redemption  
But not the ones aforementioned  
He is he, and shall fulfill his destiny  
And prevent the longed-for tyranny**_

"Even without advancing, you know who is talked about here," said Estes.

"Me," the Demon Hunter blankly replied.

Hayabusa shrugged. "But in all honesty, Alucard, we never knew who that person was… until… I forgot. Dammit!" He laughs weakly. Alucard knew Hayabusa wasn't hiding anything else.

 _ **The fallen seraphim he never is  
For his role, sacrificial it shall be  
But one day, he'll meet once more, holiness' kiss  
And the blade of flame will give peace from agony**_

"Not even my mind can help me comprehend this passage," the Elven king says. "And the Codex couldn't save the holographic film… only the text."

"Can you consult the Lords?" Alucard suggested.

"Dude," the ninja states. "We tried everything. And I mean, everything. We can't get a positive ID. Everything possibly related to this is wiped, except for the next stanza."

"What?"

 _ **It's the Demon Hunter whom he has saved  
From the clutches of despair and treachery  
One day, he shall raise the blade  
And end the prophetic rivalry**_

"That person, or something, has saved you," Estes said. "And no, he's not of your clan."

"But… they said they were the ones who pulled me out of the lair!" Alucard pressed. "I swear, that's what I know!"

"You were found in the forest," Hayabusa explains. "Your memory, I assume, was newly wiped at that time. We have to find out who wiped it and why, but I think it's the same person."

"They lied to keep you safe," Estes added. "That's why we were panicking when you first came here. I knew you'd be curious to know who you truly were, and we couldn't risk losing you before the prophecy would even be fulfilled."

 _ **For his ancestry is both of grace and torment  
To mend the bond is to begin his ascent  
Transfigure to execute the final act  
Volat ille per verum, to seal the prophetic pact**_

"Latin, a dead language," the Elven King began. "It is present in every dimension we live in. The line means, 'He flies for truth.'"

"I can read well, thanks," Alucard said. "Both of grace and torment… that hints my paused demonization."

"Don't take this upcoming question too grave, man," Hayabusa started. "But… did anyone tell you that when a demonizing process stops abruptly, the victim dies?"

Alucard's eyes widened. "Wait, what?! So I should be dead?!"

"Only angels have the ichor, or golden blood, to prevent them from being demonized," Estes says. "Only when they betray their benefactors will they become the devils that walk this earth. We speculated that an angel could have gifted you with the blessing, but if someone did descend, we would have known, no matter how secret the lair was. Someone's covering his, or her, tracks very well."

"So… why am I not allowed to use my right hand as my sword arm?"

"Here's the thing, my son. The ichor of that specific angel gave you the telepathic properties you thought you simply gained. It also seemed to unlock your demonic powers while you maintain your regular form. That's why your demonic energy is too volatile when it comes into contact with your greatsword. It also has something to do with the content of the said weapon," Estes explained thoroughly. "That sword of yours is not forged by any Demon Hunter, nor Elf, nor Human, nor Orc. It's made of the blood of the Viscount, Dracula. Blessed by an angel and imbued with both possessive and holy runes to give a complicated energy cocktail to the wielder."

"You're destined to wield it ever since your birth," Hayabusa adds. "You had a truer name, before the Hunters put you in. They named you Alucard, for they reversed the name of the owner of the blood that forged the sword in the first place. And that name of yours strikes fear into the hearts of demons. But something else in particular makes Alice quiver."

"We thought it could be the angel we were previously talking about. Unfortunately, those wicked women are fearful to even _say_ the name," Estes shook his head. "At least, you now know a part of your ancestry. The rest remains unclear. Shall we continue?"

"Yeah, I guess," said the Demon Hunter, who was shivering from the sudden rush of knowledge.

 _ **The unknown legacy must be made external  
To force memories of honor to be eternal  
The first of worlds shall respond to the call  
And never fear another world's fall**_

"Saber and the other cyborgs are prematurely covering this up," the ninja said. "They have otherworldly travels that they were planning just in case they need to undergo. This stanza is one of the reasons."

 _ **Act with haste, the dice are cast  
Best make it so that this good world lasts  
To see the rays of the sun fully bare  
So the first course of action is to PREPARE.**_

"All text has ended," Alucard notifies. "But… what about my other ancestry? The good side?"

"We will look into it when we have free time," Estes replies. "Right now, your friends will need you, most especially him." He nudges his head to Hayabusa, who didn't seem affected.

"Thanks for your time," Alucard says. The two friends leave Estes to dispel the protective runes.

Meanwhile…

"Things look fine to me," said Natalia to Tigreal. The two were going around with their patrols.

"Not for Hayabusa, though. Look at the kid. He suddenly gets depressed when what's-her-name is around."

Natalia laughs. "It's Kagura. But, yeah. I can't help notice it."

Tigreal suddenly squints on his left. "Speak of the lady." Kagura was walking around with her umbrella, creepily silent. She looks up to the pair and waves. The two nod as Kagura walks up to them.

"Hey, you must be Tigreal and Natalia, right?" she asks. "Thanks for saving us back there. Our driver got pulled out from his seat by the horde. We don't even know how to drive, so we were swerving a lot."

"No problem, ma'am. It's just our job," Tigreal replied. "Would you mind if we talk to you?"

"Sure, no problem."

The trio sits down on a nearby bench, somewhere in the royal park. They see families stroll around, enjoying peace, while they (our beloved heroes) are the ones fighting for that same peace…

Which they might never achieve.

"This seems absolutely personal," Natalia begins, "but… what's with you and Hayabusa?"

Kagura doesn't speak. She just hid herself a lot more.

"Look, if you don't want to talk, it's all fine. But you can trust us. We can help."

She doesn't talk for another five seconds.

Then…

"Saber's right. We're lovers."

"Currently? Nice!" Tigreal replies.

Kagura suddenly frowns. "Formerly."

"Oh… sorry. Complication?"

"It's not that easy."

Natalia guesses. "So, you two got a third party?"

"Who would even interfere?" Kagura snickers. "Me and him? We were a kickbutt duo when we were kids. We'd have each other's backs. We may be the runts, but no one dared touch us."

"Lots of history, huh? I understand if it would be hard to let go," the knight replies. "But, what happened? What put you and him in disarray?"

The mage's head bowed. "Destiny."

"Care to elaborate?"

She breathed heavily, her voice trembling. "It was a simple walk to the market. Me, Hayabusa and his cousin, Furukuzi, went to buy flowers for Hayabusa's grandmother. It was so peaceful then, but it all changed."

"Attack?" Natalia asks.

"The former Shadow of Iga had gone rogue. He took out most of the civilians and vendors in that area. We tried to hide in the alleyway, but he found us and cornered us to the walls. Furukuzi rushed to defend us but he died when the katana was brought down. Hayabusa and I held our hands… and that's when it all started."

Natalia and Tigreal looked at each other. "Okay, what next?"

"Both of our powers… they became instantly unlocked the moment our hands touched. There was this huge wave of energy resonating the whole place, and the assailant was fazed, so he had to escape. He did, but the people took note of the structural damage of the force wave WE made. And after that, it's the last time I ever saw Hayabusa again. For a decade."

"10 years?!" Natalia exclaimed. "I am impressed that you haven't forgotten each other."

"I should have," Kagura said with a shaky breath. Her hands were shivering. "I really wish I should've. If I knew of our fates, then I wouldn't have met him in the first place!"

"What? What fate?"

"Our souls… they were intertwined. Destined to be together. But not in the way you think. I was born to be the next wielder of the Seimei Umbrella. Hayabusa wasn't trained to earn the title of Shadow. He was born to become the Shadow of Iga. His powers were already obtained ever since he was born, like mine. But in the proper age, when we touch each other, our souls become volatile and we can destroy an area in a 5 kilometer radius."

"That's why you were avoiding him! But… you could still be together… even with the conditions, right?"

Kagura shook his head. "We can't even get NEAR each other! Our powers grow stronger every day, and being a couple of inches close to each other is like priming a freaking nuclear bomb. And only an angel can break the curse."

Tigreal eyes Alucard and Hayabusa, walking to their location unknowingly. Kagura suddenly raises her head. Tears start to stream down as she blinks away, appearing somewhere far away from the pair.

"Hey, what's up?" Alucard greets. He sees Hayabusa shiver. "Oh… okay… can someone explain what's all that about?"

A day passes and Balmond and Hilda were ordered to scout Eruditio.

"Why this out of all places?" Balmond complains. "This will remain a dead city until people get back here again."

Sure enough, the whole place was deserted. However, the holographic billboards and signs remained intact. The Zephyr building still stood tall. However, a couple of houses were burnt or knocked down by demons and hoarders.

"Hylos confirmed an ancient presence here somewhere," Hilda explains. "I don't know. It's too quiet here."

"As long as they're doing fine, I'm not going to go ballistic."

"The question is… what's the entity?" Hilda asked.

Balmond stares in the sky, not paying attention.

"Hey, I am talking to you. Something wrong?"

Balmond points toward the foggy atmosphere. "Do you see that?"

"Hey, it's not the time to play jokes now. I don't see anything."

"I am serious! I saw something!" Balmond urges. "Can't you see it?"

"Of course I can't see it! Am I looking at it?" Hilda catches a dark figure brush through the fog. "Wait, is that…"

Out of the clouds emerged a colossal titan the two has never seen. It was probably 100 meters tall, judging from its towering height. Its skin was of pure stone, adorned with blue carvings and runes. A small face with a rune on the forehead was between the giant's huge shoulders. The back was mossy and grassy. Everywhere it stepped, it cracked the ground. The colossus is lugging around a vertical tower topped with a huge crystal on top.

Hilda told Balmond, "Use your telepathy now. Tell Estes we found the target."

"What's that?"

Hilda breathed, "It's a legendary stone titan. Probably the last of his kind."


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Forbidden Touch…**

The roster expands once more!

I think you're already familiar with the new additions… due to the 2nd part of the prophecy.

Bear with me.

I know I am posting short chapters, but I decided to give off the 2nd part of the prophecy before I brave my quarterly assessments.

Don't worry! I'll try to upload some good chapters throughout Christmas! Somewhere until January 8, in which I am back to school.

And it's time for Random Talks with Arcturus420!

And the topic today is… Restricted Themes.

(First of all, kids, you have the privilege to ask your parents concerning restricted themes. It's no wrongdoing to ask some helpful information that can retain your innocence. The wrongdoing is NOT retaining your innocence, something I want you to avoid.)

As far as I know, there are six themes under this category, mainly…

1\. The theme itself (overall plot)

2\. Offensive language or profanity (no-no in my review section)

3\. Violence or Gore (minimalized in my story, but I may not keep my word in some instances)

4\. Sexual Images or Obscenity (STOP IT RIGHT THERE.)

*This is so common nowadays. *cough*Rated M*cough* I have to note this, ladies and gents. I wouldn't mind if you were tempted IN ANY WAY and fall for it the first time. Just make sure you don't do so twice. Because that wouldn't be a mistake. It'd be a habit. And kids? Please, know your limits.

5\. Horror or Scary, Disturbing Content (not present in my story)

6\. Drugs or Illegal Chemicals (not included in my story)

All of these are what restrict the amount and type of viewers in a work of art. No matter what.

I may put K+, but I won't shy away with only the 3rd category, known as violence.

I won't use mindless gore in this time around. My purpose of usage is to make you feel. Sure, it's not that violent in a game. But in a real-life situation? Do you know how your favorite and hated heroes would have gone through, and how you were chilling in your couch, not having to deal with it? DO YOU NOW, YOU UNGRATEFUL SWINES?!

(It's okay, guys! I was messing around XD)

Which leads to a conclusion.

There will be deaths. Horrible, painful ones.

Remember what I said. They'll live again. But how?

Trust me, guys. The files don't lie. And they won't.

If you think I have the complete plot of the story via these files, you're wrong. I still need to arrange these files in order. Also, some words don't seem to fit in well.

Get ready for the new characters! The roster still remains incomplete, though.

And take note of this advice:

Don't go overboard.

If you cannot take in Restricted Themes, then don't. The most tolerable among these is Number Four and Number Two.

But that's the most common and most influential. So I only have Number 3 present.

And I will warn you when things get messy. Maybe. Depending on how cruel I am huehuehue…

ANYWAY!

After a couple of minutes, Bruno, Lolita, Alpha, Saber, Eudora and Estes joined Balmond and Hilda through a makeshift portal. Together, they watched the humongous yet peaceful stone titan, carrying his tower with ease. Surprisingly, even with his sheer size, he doesn't knock down any of the structures below him. Though, he can't help but stomp on the hi-tech cars. Oh, how expensive they were.

"When's the last time we've had a stone titan?" Eudora asks.

"Never in a multitude of lifetimes," Estes answered in awe. "When I was being made in the Emerald Woodlands, my consciousness was already present. Stone titans would bow down to me, while I was still being made a physical body. After the wars, they stopped appearing, due to their downfall. I thought all were gone, until now."

Bruno caught the word 'made'. "Wait, did you say that you were made?"

Saber says, "Elven Kings were made in the Emerald Woodlands, and Estes is for the current generation. He is born within the Tree of Life. He sustained great injuries from former battles, so he had to be put in hypersleep. But after all these occurrences, he awakened."

Lolita mutters, "Something new every day, huh? Great, Lolita. Now you feel out of place."

"Can we talk to the big dude?" Alpha questions. "We haven't seen something like him in our travels. No glimpse. This is a first. Take pictures, Beta!" He urges the drone, who whizzes around, making snapping sounds.

"We have to find a way to talk to him!" Eudora starts. "But how? He probably wouldn't hear us from this distance." She watches the stone titan apparently frolicking in the distance. They were half a hundred meters far, but they could feel the ground vibrate within every step of the titan.

"Let me try," Saber volunteers. He adjusts his antennae and then says, "Can you hear us?"

The voice echoed all around the deserted city. The stone titan jerked his head upward, but he seemed disturbed.

He turns to the group, still calm. Its mouth began to move. It said in a slow rumble, "Grock can hear you from far away."

"Okay, so it speaks," Hilda begins. "What was your name again?"

"Grock is me!" Grock happily answers. "Trying to find owner of tower. Feeling lonely."

"Have you seen others like you?" Balmond asks. "Other stone titans whom you seem to know?"

Grock thinks deeply. "Nassus, Borin, Gilde… all gone. Didn't make it."

"Last of his kind," Saber whispers to Bruno.

Estes steps forward. "Grock, I am Estes, Elven King of the Land of the Dawn. We are here to help you."

Grock's eyes widened, and he tried to genuflect.

"No need to be too polite now, Grock. We need to take care of this place as well. Do you remember the owner of the tower?"

"Grock knows it's somewhere magical!" Grock answers. "Somewhere hidden, where no one can find it, but Grock! Called… um… S- S- S- can't pronounce it!"

Eudora pops out a word. "Swan?"

"Yes, yes! That's where Grock shall go!" the stone titan cheers, though he didn't stomp around. "I know location! We must go!"

"Wait!" Alpha commands.

Grock tilts his head in concern. "Something wrong? Any enemy gets their heads bashied with huge tower!"

Balmond looks around. "Anything, Alpha?"

Alpha looks somewhere on his right, then his left. "Surrounded."

Lolita's heart begin to race. "Surrounded? What do you mean?"

"Bad. Bad guys," Saber concludes.

Grock looks around him, and bellows, "PISS OFF, UGLIES!"

And the opposite happened.

By the way, I need to tell you how Eruditio is positioned.

Just think of a circle. The center is Zephyr Corps. The farther you get from the center, the buildings degrade and so does the lifestyle. The circumference of the circle is a huge wall, encasing all the contents and protecting them from interference.

And the demons have penetrated through the bay doors of the walls.

Alpha could see a miniature wave of demons ready to ambush the group. They're easy to take on, even if they were Hellbats, Stalkers and a few Reapers. They're easy to fend off, even if they numbered up to a few hundred. They're easy to take on, because the heroes were so used to killing them with ease.

But something else was in that mass.

Saber took notice. He activated his scanners. A few foreign characters were in place. They didn't seem like anything in Saber's database. They were irregular in form, but still symmetrical. They had purple scales with slightly deformed feet, like Karrie's. They had broad, pointed shoulders and heads that resembled an insect's.

What's even astonishing is the randomness of their secondary features, like their eyes, tails and scale formation. They all looked unique.

"What are those?" Balmond questioned. "They never looked like anything I've faced."

"My database is on hold," Saber adds. "It cannot identify."

"Stand your ground. They are Kastiyans, Zhask's soldiers," Estes answers.

Out of the blue, a red, metamorphing orb darted through the sky. It zipped to the group, and it coalesced. Out of the orb came the Queen of the Apocalypse herself. Her expression was taunting.

"Why, hello, my dears!" She greeted 'cheerfully'. "How did you like the surprise?"

The group eyed the woman down. It was not the time to engage. Grock readied his tower on his back, just in case Alice needs a whooping.

"What are you doing here?" Estes interrogates.

"I just wanted to check on how you're doing, my lovely! The lairs around here give me cramps."

Bruno gained the courage to say this. "Oh, you mean you wanted to check on how we're fortunately winning while you're undeniably losing?"

Eudora, Lolita and Alpha shushed him. Alice didn't get angry. Instead, she smiled.

"Ah, the Protector of Eruditio. I assumed you'd be brave! That makes it more satisfying when I leech that precious blood." Alice licks her lips, her eyes turning red. Balmond slowly backs off.

"Anyhow, what I say is true! I wanted to give you a little bit of target practice before the whole world falls under our regime. I assume you've met our new friends!"

Hilda asked, "How did you make connections with Zhask? I thought he would be selfish enough to take this world for himself!"

Alice shakes her head. "You don't understand. Zhask only wants the essence of this planet, not Gaius itself. Once he has it, the leftovers will be in our safekeeping. It's win-win!" She claps her hands. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some bodies to suck on. Enjoy your treat!" She flies away and materializes back into a red orb. After she disappears, the demons turned their gaze back to the heroes.

"Time to take out the party crashers," Bruno announced. The demons screeched and charged in a multitude of directions.

"Here we go again!" Alpha said, as he swipes his light spear upward from the ground, generating an artillery barrage that pokes through a line of Ravagers and Kastiyans. An alien launches a beam of light that Lolita easily deflects, helping Bruno in taking it out.

"What is Grock doing?" Saber asks. Estes sees the giant, softly stomping the ground. In truth, he was taking out the demons trying to crawl up to him, like a human against a swarm of ants.

"Death to weaklings for brethren!" Grock said as he stomped so hard this time that the shockwave made Hilda nearly lose her footing. Balmond charges and spins around with his axe like a top, slicing through the enemies like a pizza cutter.

Balmond laughed. "These imbeciles are mediocre! Why would Alice make them fight us?"

"Look alive. There might be something that's up," Estes warned, launching light projectiles to anyone that gets close to him. He casts an enhancement spell on Eudora which charges her power even faster. The lightning mage electrifies dozens of Kastiyans, roasting them to oblivion. A Hellbat dives to attack an unaware Alpha, but Saber stabs it in the air right on time as Beta shoots it down.

Grock continued on his stomping, desperately trying to prevent destroying the other structures, which seemed funny even with the current situation given. After a few minutes, the few hundred became less than ten. The leftovers were chased off by Hilda, but she didn't dare go farther.

"Is this a joke?" Hilda asks. "Alice might be messing with our heads." She sets down her axe.

"She's known for her mischief," Lolita answers. "We should get used to that."

"Where go next?" Grock asks. "Puny ants annoy me."

Estes calls the stone giant. "Grock, I need you to get to Swan and return your tower. I will send an escort to be alongside you. Okay?"

"Grock has buddies! Yay!" The giant stomped around, but then remembered where he was. "Oops. Sorry. Promise to go to owners." He trotted away, going to Swan, in a somewhat random direction.

"Why is he walking like that?" Bruno asks, confused.

Balmond replied. "A stone titan promises to not take down anyone else's structures. It's usually unnecessary, but Grock is the last of his kind. He tries to find ways to preserve the cities here."

"We need to inform the others about all this," Saber suggests. "We should also leave. Something bad might happen if we stay for too long."

"We make up a meeting with the others, and plan out for the 4th shard," Estes finalizes. The group walks out using a makeshift portal, leaving Grock to walk to Swan all by his lonesome.

Meanwhile…

"Wait, so you're supposed to be dead?"

Alucard facepalms as he is forced to explain to Chou about his past for the 5th time in the morning.

"Yeah. An angel's ichor helped me survive," Alucard sighs.

Yinsen adds, "Take note of the fact that that angel is what saved him FROM THE LAIR, not us. We simply found Alucard in the forest."

"Also, his father survived the ordeal, and thought Alucard and his first wife was dead, so he went to Malefic City and boom! Here I am," Layla finishes.

Chou nods. "This is confusing. Glad I got it this time."

"Phew. You good?" Alucard jokes. "It confuses me too. Don't worry, you're not alone."

Yun Zhao, Miya, Freya and Hayabusa walks up to the conversation. "Anything new?"

"Not really. I wonder who that angel could be. Not even Estes remembers."

Freya frowned. "Yeah. It would be neat if he, or she, would go fight with us. It would clarify your past as well."

Ruby sees Kagura in the distance. "Um… guys? You-know-who is back," she whispers. Hayabusa didn't budge. He didn't cry, too. But he looked away.

"Wait, you don't wanna go out, mate?" Yinsen asks, concerned. "We'll help you out if you need help. Just saying."

"Nothing can change it. I'll be fine," Hayabusa answers.

"If you need anything, we'll cover you!" Freya encourages. "You're not busy today, right, Zhao?"

"Nuh uh. I am only stuck for guard duty."

A steel cable locks on a nearby pillar, and Fanny zipped to the group, her scar already faded. "Estes and his ops are back. I think they've brought some interesting news."

The centaur, Hylos, trotted to the conversation, holding his scepter. "I sent them to inspect Eruditio. I felt an old presence, a familiar one."

Chou stood up from his seat. "What happened? Is the city alright?"

"Completely deserted. A few demons are on guard, but the defense systems are still operational."

Karrie and Irithel, along with Clint, joined in. "It's a boring day today, but at least we're making progress," the gunslinger started. "Three weeks before doomsday. How neat."

"My warriors from Alaghat are beginning to assemble," Karrie added. "They will join Yi Sun Shin's fleet and gather here after a few days."

Kagura, Akai, Tigreal and Natalia came into play in the crowded mess hall. "Here comes Estes," said the gilded knight. "Stay sharp."

Estes, along with his companions, went around with the group. The Minotaur gently walked along with his hammer.

"This is one big meeting," Ruby mutters to Alucard. "The fact that we're incomplete baffles me."

"Good day, my friends. We've now confirmed the presence Hylos has felt in Eruditio."

"What is it?" Karina asks. She appears right next to the ninja.

"It was a stone titan named Grock."

A few gasps arose. Johnson, who joined Saber and Alpha, questions the Elven King. "What's a stone titan?"

Lolita answers, "An old earth guardian meant to protect the structures of heirs. He has a tower that he must deliver, and it belongs to Swan."

"Swan? I suggest we follow the being. He doesn't travel too fast, I hope," Tigreal suggests.

Estes smiles. "I have assigned you and Natalia, along with Zhao and Miya, to follow the titan. Johnson will drive along for you."

"Another road trip with the bros," Johnson cheers.

"Get along now. After a few hours, your journey shall commence." Miya and Zhao nods as they leave.

"Freya, the naval fleet will arrive in a few days. The Ocular Sun speculates that they may arrive tomorrow, but we have detected a wave of sea serpents and Hellbats which are hot on their trail. You will stay with a few other heroes. We're still trying to find the exact coordinates for the 4th shard, but the navigator has confirmed its general location."

"Where is it?" Alucard asked. "Please tell me it's a decent place."

"It's somewhere between Iga and Onmyouji."

Hayabusa and Kagura simultaneously looked up to Estes, baffled. The ninja starts. "Wait, the next shard is there?"

"It's in between the two cities," Karrie says. "Probably in a forest or in a wide-open field. The heroes we will send shall be prone to any invasion, so stay sharp. We were prepared when we escorted the 3rd shard, which gave us the upper hand. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for now."

"We will send a reconnaissance group for this mission," Hylos adds. "Alucard, gather your friends and prepare. You shall begin your search tomorrow, along with Hayabusa, Kagura, Akai, Nana and Harley. Eudora and Gord shall stay to fortify the magical defenses of this place."

"What is my next command?" Fanny asks. "If it's a wide-open landscape, I won't operate well with my cables."

"If you wish, you can stay and map out the forests here. We'll put you in charge of overall guard rotations."

"I can tolerate that." Fanny launched a steel cable to a nearby building and zipped off.

"Karina, you shall gather the Night Elves under your command. It's time for them to regroup alongside the Land of Dawn."

"Working on it," the assassin replies. She bows to Hylos and sprints out of the hall.

"You're not alone in this endeavor, Alucard," Estes soothes. "After we've confirmed the exact coordinates of the shard, we shall form a mass recall to send in your fellow Demon Hunters if the need arises."

"Thanks for the heads up!" Bruno thanks. "Though, things seem too rushed."

"We cannot change that, Protector," Minotaur heaves. "We should be glad, though, that many things are coming our way. At least, we witness how we work as a functional unit."

"Minotaur, if all else fails, we will put you alongside the escort team for the 4th shard. I suggest you guard the other shards, which are in the underground vault. Do you agree?"

"I owe you my life, for you have helped me escape that wretched labyrinth. To atone for my recklessness, I shall do what I must." Minotaur pounds his fist to his left breast as he walks out of the hall to do his task.

"I think that's all for now," Freya says. "Wait, what about Irithel?"

"I will join Karrie in Alaghat to fix some matters there," Irithel answers. "Leo and I will be fine. We shall rendezvous as early as we can." The smilodon growls, and it speeds off along with the rider.

"Clint, do you have friends among the Wastelands?" Estes asks.

"Yes. I was planning to gather them. Thought the extra firepower will help us mates fight off those darn uglies."

"You can depart anytime. Just give the call," Hylos confirms. Clint nods as he walks away.

Akai wasn't listening, for he was busy eating.

"Is that your 4th noodle soup for this afternoon?!" Kagura exclaims.

"C'mon, I haven't had decent food ever since we got stuck in the forest. And besides, they taste good!"

The group laughs. Estes chuckles. "The new deliveries went off fine, my panda. Eat up if you shall. Our resources will suffice."

Suddenly, Alucard's head begin to hurt. The sharp spike was so sudden, he stumbled off his seat.

"Argh! Not again!" he yells, as the pain grows.

Layla began to fear. "Alucard? Alucard! What's wrong?"

"Not good!" Alpha yelps. "Beginning biometric scans. No physical trauma identified. Psychic relapses detected."

"He is recalling his memories!" Chou states. "He is also having visions as well!"

Estes and the others gathers and gives breathing room. "I can only alleviate the pain, but I will dull the clarity of the relapse! Alucard, what will you choose?"

"Let me recall! Let me… re… argh! It's too much!"

His mind flooded with visions he cannot fully contain.

He felt that he was back at the Wastelands. He saw a young adolescent shooting revolvers in the firing range. He recognized him.

"Clint? How?"

The young Clint shot down the targets with ease, which were a couple of whiskey bottles. Another person came into view. He was a grown, buff man. He was smoking a big cigar, holding a custom-made blunderbuss.

"Well done, my boy! Darn, you have surpassed my talent!" The man spoke. "Sadly, it is time I must depart."

"I hope we could spend longer time, old man," Clint said. "Will you be fine, Roger?"

" _Roger?"_ Alucard thought.

"I shall. I hope you do your part as the new vigilante among these parts."

"They won't hunt me down, right?"

Roger chuckles. "Of course! Your reputation as my apprentice is deeply accepted by the Wastelands."

Clint looks down on the ground. "What if we meet again? What will happen?"

"I may be changed," the grown man said with a heavy heart. "If we meet again, Clint, remember this."

"Remember what?"

"If something wrong happens to me, then… never hesitate to shoot me."

"What?!" Clint exclaims in surprise.

The vision changes as Alucard's head hurt even more. He now sees himself in a dark cave.

"What's the point in negotiating, when I won't have this world?!" A warped voice shouts. "The essence of this planet shall be mine!"

"Zhask," Alucard grimaced.

"Take a look, Zhask!" a familiar voice said. It was Alice. "We want this planet! The Dark Lord shall reign after that wretched oaf Estes falls under his might!"

"But I am the Dominator! If you want to bargain-"

"Calm down. Let me speak!" Alice stops. "Listen! I know you want this planet, but you won't even take a second to care about Gaius after you leave it! So, how about this? You know of the Dawn Shards, I assume?"

Zhask comes out of the darkness, wielding a blunt staff. He has a deformed face with three spikes, which resembles his leadership. He has four long braids, each tipped with a flipper. "I know!"

"Here's the thing! Our want is to simply overthrow the current king and make this place ours. We have no desire for those Dawn Shards. However, they wield the power of life. Oh, how majestic it is! You get those shards, we get the planet. Deal?"

Zhask rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… you do have a point…"

"See?" Alice guffaws. "I told you! It's better that way!"

(Okay, guys! Heads up for Number 3.)

Alucard hears a moan somewhere in the dark.

"Ah, almost forgot," Alice said. "It seems so boring to finish my prey off quickly, and then I found out making them suffer nice and slow is even more exciting!" Out of the rocks, she fished out a small child… a girl. She remained unconscious, her clothes tattered and dusty. Alice dug her canines to the child's neck and sucked her blood slowly, which was very unlikely of the Apocalypse Queen.

"No!" Alucard shouts, trying to stop it. The pain in his head intensifies and the scene warps for one last time.

He was transported to a rough, uncharted plain. Valleys and rivers were coating the scenery. But that wasn't the case here. He sees a bright ray of light strike through the earth. Out of the light emerged an angel. She wore white robes and held a healing scepter. Alucard didn't need much time in order to recognize her.

"Rafaela? Why descend here out of all places?"

He tries to scan the environment, and a black figure catches his eye. But since he was so far away from the occurrence, he couldn't recognize the other person.

But he did hear these words from the Wings of Holiness.

"After all this time?" The Demon Hunter felt the angel's astonishment. Before he snapped out of the trance, he heard a familiar voice, probably that of the latter.

"Always."

"Alucard?! Wake up! Wake up!"

The Demon Hunter awoke to the sight of Chou slapping him hard in the face.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake- Oh… sorry," Chou said.

The pain in Alucard's head didn't linger anymore. Though, his cheeks were on fire.

"My boy! Are you all right?" Hylos asks in a worry. "You've been out for half an hour. None of our runes and spells help."

"Wait, it's been 30 minutes?!" Ruby exclaims. "I thought it's five!"

"Is he going to be alright?" Hayabusa questions. "I can confirm that the pain in his head is fading, but his mind is still racing. We can't question him right now."

"He had a few visions," Kagura answers. "He is going to be fine. We have to let him rest."

"Guys, do you see that?" Akai interrupts. He points to Alucard's greatsword using his cane. The weapon's edges began to glow in different spots.

"Are those runes, Estes?" Freya asks. "I cannot recognize them."

"They seem familiar…" Alucard moans. "Wait… why did I say that?"

"Familiar?" Estes checks the sword. "These are not the runes I make. They're completely different." The greatsword's glow ebbs.

Lolita asks, "Where do they come from?"

Out of the blue, a bright ray of light hits the earth. The group covers their eyes from the blinding light. An angel emerges from the light.

"You're right," the angel says. "They're no Elven runes. They're of the Fall."

"Rafaela? It's been too long!" Estes starts. "What brings you here?"

The angel says, "Something has arisen. I have been sent by the Lords to aid you for now. They cannot grant reinforcements for the time being, so I shall be the one to guide you. What Alucard has seen is an indication of our expanding roster."

"There's this dude with this huge freaking shotgun or something… from the Wastelands! I forgot the name… It's…"

"We ask Clint later," Saber interrupts. "What next, Alucard?"

"Alice… and the others… they're here only to make this kingdom theirs. The shards are not their priority."

"What?" Hylos reacts. "Then, why are they being targeted?"

Alucard answers, "Zhask wants the Dawn Shards for himself. Alice and her minions will only try to trek along to tamper with our plans."

"You had one more dream, Alucard," Rafaela says. "Can you tell them?"

The Demon Hunter thinks hard. He was beginning to get frustrated. Those visions were so clear! How on earth could he forget them?

"You were there, Rafaela! I saw you! I just…"

"Woah, you saw her?" Yinsen reacts. "Was it a war?"

"More like… a conversation. She's… talking to someone. But they're too far and I could only hear their voices. Argh."

"Don't pressure yourself," Chou suggests. "Ease it out slowly. Do you have a clue on who she was talking to?"

"Best not to think of it for now," Rafaela stops.

Estes seems worried. "Rafaela, you need not hide anything from us. We're your allies."

"The more you know, the sooner the demons would be really into killing you. I know about Alucard's visions, but for you to possess the thought would prove lethal in some circumstances. Believe it or not, when we step out of this place, the Queen would have the chance to watch our every move. However, it's the Dark Lord's wishes that they remain discreet, and to avoid any unnecessary interference until required."

"They could just do that now!" Alpha rebounds. "Why would they have to wait?"

"Both sides are not yet in order, cyborg," Rafaela explains. "The Dark Lord longs for our blood, but he is patient. He has millions of henchmen in his disposal, but they're in disarray. We may have a small force, which is more of a downside. The Dark Lord knows it's not yet the time. He's most likely expecting you to come for the Shards and to search for new allies."

"I assume that the convoy should be read within the next few hours," Hylos finishes. "We have allies in Swan Lake, where the stone titan will go."

The angel nods. "Best you continue your normal duties and plans. But… I'd stay out of trouble."

"We're rushing a lot," Ruby mumbles. "We can't take a break, huh?"

"Well, I didn't know that being involved in pastries will put you in a worldwide cataclysm."

The whole group laughed at Bruno's joke.

"That's a good one," Saber compliments. "Shall we resume the activities?"

"A proper choice," Rafaela ends. "You may go now. But… I have to talk to Alucard."

"Sure, no probs," Hayabusa replies. "C'mon, let's go."

The group leaves Alucard behind, who is standing up pretty fine.

"Why the sudden descent?" he asks.

"The Lords gave me permission to. I just knew that I had to fix some complications by myself."

It dawned on the Demon Hunter. "Hayabusa and Kagura."

"Yes. One day, I will appropriately disable their curse. It's wrong to do so today. The timing isn't right."

"Please be honest with me, Rafaela," Alucard insisted. "You know the person you talked to in my dream, right?"

Rafaela resisted answering, but gave in. "Yes."

"You don't have to tell me who he… or she, is. If it's a secret meant to be contained until the time arrives, I will respect that."

"All that I can say… is that you shall meet him soon."

"Him? Soon? That seems a bit vague, milady."

Rafaela smiles. "It's all that I could give you. Now, would you go along with your friends?"

Meanwhile…

Karina's senses are racing.

"Are you alright?" Tigreal asks. "You seem nervous."

"I have a bad feeling about something," the assassin replies. "I think one of my dreams are becoming true…"

"Which one?" Natalia responds. "Karina, all of your dreams are true."

"Not that! I just can't put this into words. There might be… um… what do you call that? A lawyer's squirrel?"

"A lovers' quarrel?" Miya guessed. "Whose?"

"You know whose, genius."

"Sheesh," Zhao adds. "Blow off the steam somewhere else, Karina. Were you referring to-"

"Sorry to barge in," Akai abruptly starts. "Have you seen Kagura?"

"Last time I checked, she was going to the citadel's balconies," Freya answered. "Why, what's wrong?"

Fanny's eyes widened. "Isn't that were Hayabusa is?"

All eyes trailed to each other's, then to Karina's.

"Guys?" Zhao begins. "Race for it."

"SCRAMBLE AND FIND THEM NOW!" Tigreal ordered.

Hayabusa was on the highest balcony of the citadel, arms crossed, admiring the view of the Land of Dawn. He liked how impossible such a view could be beheld, and that such a view was made in a matter of seconds.

" _I think this moment of peace would work for now,"_ he thought.

That is, until he heard footsteps from the staircase.

" _Darn it. Not now. Please! Can't she just leave me be?"_

(You might be asking. Why can't he simply teleport away? He can't. The sun was glaring against him, leaving no shadow. In other words, he is cornered.)

Yada yada yada, and yup. Kagura was making those footsteps, thank you very much. She stops as she sees the ninja. She wanted to talk to him so badly, to touch him at least for once. But no, they can't. All because of a curse.

"A curse simply means restriction," the ninja suddenly whispers.

"And ours is perpetual," Kagura clearly adds. "You still remember."

"I always will. Why would I forget?"

Kagura starts to walk up to Hayabusa, but stops after making the first step. She hung her head low.

"Why are you here?" Hayabusa asks.

"I've been looking for you. I thought you were gone, and that you don't want to see me." Kagura began to cry, but she remained silent.

"Do you know how I have longed to see you again? It hurts whenever I think of you, but I still reminisce, because you're a part of me, and we can't deny that." Hayabusa's hands balled into fists, and his arms had to support him via the balcony's concrete barrier. He restrained himself, trying not to punch it.

"It's been too long," the girl says, her voice breaking. "We haven't seen each other for a decade! Do you even know the troubles I had to face just to know you once more?!"

"I don't! I don't know why fate is so unfair to us! I really don't! I love you, and I want to hold you, but we're forced not to touch, because our passion is our demise!" Hayabusa's knees became weak and he began crying as well. He was so tempted to get closer, but he knew he had to avoid her.

"Do you remember it?" Kagura asks. "Do you remember it all?"

"It haunts me every day. I wanted to… I wanted… to make it s-stop." The ninja began to shiver. Kagura walked up to try to hug him but their auras mixed and became volatile. She instantly held back.

"Don't say that! Don't think of those, Hayabusa. You're not alone! Don't say that!"

"It always feels like it. I can't… I can't!" The pair became completely wasted… well, without the liquor part. "I wanted to make it stop. I want to end myself. I just can't do this. Please…"

(Now, boys and girls. I have to inform you of one thing. When someone you know has suicidal thoughts such as these, try to fix them in the most humane way possible. Suicide is no joke.)

"Hayabusa… What… Why are you saying this?"

The ninja hugged his knees and buried his head. "There's… too much expected of me. I'm… I'm…"

"You're what?" Kagura asks. "I'm right here. You don't have to lock yourself out! Please, Haya! Tell me."

"I'm drowning."

Those two words were enough to send a painful wave of dread to the mage.

Kagura couldn't speak. She didn't have the strength to reply.

"Hey, dude!" Zhao pops. "Are you al- Oh?" He sees the pair. His face became as red as a tomato. "Um… Uh…"

Miya appears into view as well. "Yo. What happened here?"

"I dunno. Let's just separate them. Nothing else we can do."

Fanny flies to the balcony with her steel cables. "What's wrong?"

"Long story," Miya replies. "C'mon. Let's keep this discreet."

*insert weird transition XD

"What did Rafaela say to you?" Layla asked.

"Well, she confirmed to me that she knew who she was talking to in my vision, and that it was a he."

Yinsen grins. "Well, at least that narrows the possible culprits down to… 50%?"

"49%, actually," Alpha corrected. "There are more male subjects than female."

"Yeah, yeah. Same thing. Anyway, have you seen Victor? I wanna clear my attendance for now. Can't let him think I'm away."

"Last I checked," Alucard replied. "He was still in the camp. I'll meet you there later."

"Sure, man. Thanks. Gotta go," Yinsen runs off.

Beta suddenly blipped. "Alert. Negative emotional responses detected."

"Um, what?" Alpha was dumbfounded. "Beta, who is it?"

"Standing by. Subject confirmed." The data was then applied to Alpha's visor. He turned around and saw Zhao escorting Hayabusa, who was hiding his face.

"C'mon, buddy! Let's get you somewhere warm," Zhao comforted.

"No! Just leave me alone, Zhao. I don't want help!" Hayabusa rebounded.

"What's wrong with Hayabusa?" Chou asked.

Alucard reads Hayabusa's mind. "Ah, darn. I knew it."

"Knew what?" Bruno interrogates.

"He talked with Kagura."

Ruby's response nearly startled Lolita off her shoes. "WHAT?! WHAT?! NO! IS HE ALRIGHT?"

"Woah, calm down, Ruby. Jeez, I thought you were the one going cray," Alucard joked. "Nah, I don't think Hayabusa seems well."

"Look, you may not want help, but you need it! I don't want to leave you crumbling down, Haya. I am your best bro."

"Can't you see? My life is just a freaking waste. I'm just used for personal gain, and when I needed it the most, I get perpetually locked out! It's useless, Yun. You can't help me!"

Saber and Alpha rushed to the scene. Alucard and his friends couldn't think much on how to help the ninja, so they watched.

"Hayabusa!" Saber called. "It's okay. You don't have to keep your negative thoughts to yourself. We can help."

"What makes you think you can help?" the ninja spat. "You don't know this pain I'm feeling."

"We do," Alpha replied. "You just don't know, but we do. I always have, along with Saber. We may look completely different, but we're all alike."

It dawned on Zhao. "Alpha? Are you telling me…?"

"Yes," Saber said. "Alpha had Beta. Had."

Bruno couldn't believe it. "Alpha had Beta?"

Alpha hung his head low. "It's not that easy to explain. Hayabusa, listen to me. Be glad that Kagura is still there for you in one piece, even if you couldn't touch her. I may have Beta, but that's not her." He looks on the drone. The drone that lacked emotion. "That's not the real her."

Hayabusa stopped crying. "What happened?"

"C'mon," Chou urged. "We have to listen."

"Beta and I… We were made in that laboratory," Alpha began. "That accursed laboratory."

"Laboratory 1718, where I came from," Saber adds.

"We were custom-made by the scientists so that we could become the ultimate fighting machines. I was the first before Beta. But after our complete production, we were locked into these med-bays with restraints. We had no chance to escape. We never thought of doing so. We only did what we were told to do. Avoid all the projectiles. Kill all live targets. That's it.

"But in Day 23 of our initial activation… something happened. Something mysterious… Not even scientific minds can comprehend."

"You've become self-aware," Alucard said. "How did it affect you and Beta?"

"I no longer identified Beta as a random ops partner. It was the first time I identified anyone as my friend. I assumed she felt the same thing."

"Beta was a girl then?" Layla abruptly says.

"Yes, Layla. She was. We began to talk a lot. We'd have dreams of the real world out there. She'd always want to go to the grassy plains and watch the stars that people were talking about. But most of all, she'd prefer it if I'd tag along with her. And I elicited the first emotional response in all of A.I."

"Love," Ruby replied as it dawned on her. She was smiling.

"Weeks passed as we began to feel different emotions. We were always there for each other to appreciate the good and to comfort ourselves from the bad. Then… we heard of the scientists' plan to launch our first real mission: the assassination of the hierarchy.

"Saber has reached that alternate dimension in time to prevent the cataclysm. The both of us worked together to plow our way through all the defenses. Unfortunately, one more thing stood in our way, and that was the ultimate version of our existence."

Saber adds, "It was Omega. He was already outfitted with all the artillery and melee weps. We tried all our might to stop him, but we were barely a challenge for him."

"It took us long to be able to chip out his tough torso, which was the one thing that blocked off his volatile reactor. Saber and I couldn't get close. Omega's feet pinned the two of us to the ground. He raised his sword, but before he got the chance…" Alpha began to cry.

"What next?" Lolita asks. "Alpha, what happened next?"

"If… if it wasn't for him… then… Beta wouldn't have to sacrifice herself."

"Oh, no," Ruby gasped as she put her hands on her mouth.

"She charged through his reactor with her whole body, because none of our weapons could work. It obliterated the machine, but the blowback damaged Beta's internal processors. She couldn't be saved, not even her memories and thoughts. Not even her soul, no matter how artificial it was. And every day, I keep hearing her last words before she died. 'Wherever you go, I will follow you.'"

Bruno began to sniffle. "Layla, do you have a freaking tissue? I can't, mate."

"Uh… um… no?" The group began to cry for the cyborg. Alucard wiped his tears with the sleeve of his jacket. Zhao covered his eyes. Saber simply hung his head low.

"We got out of that place and into this," the swordsman continued. "We went to Rooney, and asked for his help. He was young back then. He was willing to convert Beta's arm to something else. And that drone is what's left of her." He pointed to the drone with his katana. "We're men of sad stories. And yet, here we are, fighting for a noble and holy cause. Alpha and I? We're not afraid to die. We've suffered internally throughout our lives. Hayabusa, we have the option to end our own lives, but we didn't do that. If anything, Beta would want us to accomplish her goals for her. That's what Kagura would wish for you to do."

Alpha said, "She once told me that a life without suffering is a life not worth living, and that she'd rather feel pain than feel nothing at all. You're lucky, Hayabusa. You may not touch Kagura, but you could at least see the real her. I understand if you don't feel content, but there will come the time that you will. There's always a rainbow after every storm."

Hayabusa put his hand on his eyes. "Why haven't you told us all this before, Alpha?"

"I thought you wouldn't comprehend."

"Why wouldn't we?" Alucard replies. "We're not just your friends, Alpha. If anything, we're family. And that's what matters."

The group hugs each other for a couple of minutes, and Freya smiles in the distance, wishing them peace.

"It's what we need right now," Eudora says to her. "However, it might not be something that we deserve."

"It shall be," Freya replies. "It shall. And when the time comes, our bravery is indestructible."


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: The Knight and the Lady**

So…

Hello! XD

I expanded the history and lore of our characters. I knew that I had to intertwine every single lore in order to avoid leaving some holes in the fabric of the story. I also decided to add another hero, but only one.

Judging from the title, you will think, _"Yes! Lancelot and Odette! Woohoo!"_

Or, _"Arcturus, Lancelot is so gay. He doesn't deserve Odette. Put her with someone else."_

Or maybe, _"I DO NOT WANT THESE TWO ANNOYING HEROES. EVER!"_

Probably, _"Meh, just go on. This story is fun, anyway. I will just watch the review section fan the flames of war." *grabs popcorn_

C'mon, folks. I really need to put this pair. And besides, they have a key role in the story. Remember these lines?

 _ **Two Blond Lovers in the place called Swan  
Are destined to die, before the Rising Sun**_

Great. Now some of you are probably saying, _"They're going to die? NO! DON'T YOU DARE, ARCTURUS, OR I WILL SKIN YOU WITH A NAIL CUTTER!"_

Or, _"They're going to die? YES! DO IT, ARCTURUS! SKIN THEM WITH NAIL CUTTERS!"_

Or, _"They're going to die? Oooh! Interesting! But how?" *grabs popcorn_

I already know how they're going to die. It's up to you to find out before they do. I am giving you guys a couple of chapters to think of your answers. Take note, the clue is the last line. 'Before the Rising Sun.'

" _Aha! So, they're going to die before the sun rises? That means early morning! Boom! Deciphered! Checkmate, atheists!"_

Prophecies have double meanings. Think wisely.

And besides, I'd like to prolong the agony for a bit… per se.

I also don't want to leave out the other ships, too.

"Nervous?" Rafaela asked Freya. "You seem like it."

It was nighttime, and most of the heroes are on guard duty or asleep.

"I am concerned with the Vikings and my other comrades, that's all."

"Franco is aiding Bane and Yi Sun Shin in their travels. His ships are going along with theirs to fend off the water demons. So far, they're fine," the angel assured. "However, we should remember that the walls of the Land of Dawn have ears."

"Alucard seemed keen to know his mystery man," Freya switched the topic.

"It is necessary for him to expect his arrival, but we should not tell his identity," Rafaela warned. "He should know for himself."

"But, Rafaela. We haven't made contact with him for decades! We don't know how greatly he has changed! If he grows too we-"

"Shh! Alucard arrives."

Sure enough, Alucard and Ruby comes into the citadel in order to get to the library.

"Hey now, it's all right!" Alucard comforts. "I am pretty sure there are some tissues here somewhere…" He was escorting a crying Ruby, who was still in shock due to Alpha's story.

He sees Freya and Rafaela on a nearby pillar. "Hey, guys! Um, what's the path to the library again?"

The former replied, "Second left door from here, then third right passageway, and after that, the first left, and make the second right."

"Uhm… thanks?" He walks forth with Ruby, disappearing in sight.

"Speaking of which, Ruby shall meet a relative of hers in the future. I am sure he sought refuge in Swan, and that his curse has now been slightly altered," the angel continues.

"We just have to make sure that he, Lancelot and Odette are ready for departure," Freya reminds. "When Johnson and the others arrive there, they shall leave right after daybreak."

"I'll make sure of it. Never fear."

Back to Mr. and Mrs. Steal Your Health Points (Really bruh? XD)

Without Alucard's telepathic abilities, the pair wouldn't have made it to the library.

"Phew! Man, has anyone thought of putting signs in this place? Maybe even a map? Jeez." He helps Ruby into a chair. "Hey. You okay?"

The girl shakes her head. "N-no…"

"Yeah, I feel you. It was a drag to hear Alpha's backstory. It made an impact on you, huh?"

"Y-yeah… It just reminds me too much of home."

Alucard became cautious. "Hey. You don't need to bring it up. But if you do, remember that I am here. The whole group is here. We're not going to discriminate."

Ruby opened her arms wide and hugged the Demon hunter. She buried her head on his shoulder. "Can we be like this for a minute?"

"Um… yeah. Sure." He put his arms around her waist and they became locked in an embrace. After a few seconds, their longing grew, and their grip grew tighter.

(Yeah? You thought I was being cheesy, huh? PSYCHE!)

Alucard closed his eyes, but saw something else.

Without control, he got past Ruby's psychotic mind. He inevitably saw through her past memories. He saw himself transported to Ruby's old village.

" _Wait, where am I? I'm not doing anything! What's this?"_

Ruby put herself out of the hug. "Alucard? Are you alright?" Her action immediately cut off the transmitting thoughts. She began to hyperventilate.

"Ruby, calm down. You're absolutely fine. Take it easy." Alucard noticed his glowing greatsword. The runes on the sword became bluish-white. After a while, the glow ebbed.

"Woah," Ruby said. "Do that again."

"Do what again?"

"Grip my arm with your demonic arm." Alucard did, and the transmission continued. He pulled himself away after a split second.

"You can't control it?" Ruby asked.

Alucard replied, "No. This might be inevitable. Ruby, I suddenly accessed your past memories. You will feel my telepathic intrusion. Is it alright if I continue?"

"Don't worry about me, Alucard. I am beginning to worry about you. If anything, it's best to go forth."

"Alright then." He warns. "Here goes nothing." He held Ruby's arm. And the visions flooded.

Due to Ruby's cooperation, the surge of memories didn't jam straight through Alucard's mind. They slowly played itself one by one.

"Okay, what do you see?" Ruby said.

"Nothing yet… though, I am surprised I can still hear you."

"Let's try to focus. We don't want something to mess up."

After a few seconds, Alucard began to see the whole of Ruby's old village.

"Okay, I am seeing the village now. Nothing too bad is popping up. Still can't see you, though."

Alucard walks around, eyeing the folk. He tries to find a younger version of Ruby, but fails.

Ruby suggested, "Have you tried finding the bakery?"

"The place where we first met! Thanks for the heads-up."

"Anytime."

It didn't take long for the Demon Hunter to do so. He found the bakery and tried to enter the door, but passed through it instead.

"Since it's just a memory, you have much more freedom, I guess."

"Makes sense. Woah, I am seeing myself here."

Alucard sees his younger self waiting in a short line. He reaches up to the cashier and speaks inaudibly, giving a couple of silver coins. The other people were looking at Alucard (the younger version), most specifically his arm. He may not hear his younger self's words, but he sure did hear the commotion.

"You see that kid there? He's a Demon Hunter. Funny how he is recruited whilst sporting that ugly arm. Probably a fricking joke," said a bystander.

A widow told her son, "Keep your thoughts to yourself now, but stay away. That Demon Hunter has something nasty up his sleeve."

Alucard remembered when he was being discriminated by the other folk due to his arm. He didn't get fazed, though. He kept thinking to himself, _"Physique is never the basis of a person's intentions."_

He simply walks out of the bakery with a medium basket of bread.

"Ruby, are you seeing this?"

"Yeah," she nods. "We're almost going to converge. Let's watch."

Alucard begins to walk out of the alley when he gets confronted by three adolescents.

"Ey, what you got there, kid?" the one in the middle asked. The young Demon Hunter knew he was into some trouble.

"Nothing. Just food," he replies. "And besides, I need to get going. Excuse me."

The boy in the left cornered him. "Oh, you're not going anywhere to do some wicked rituals, pisspot. Best we end you here and now, right?"

"I don't want any trouble. I am going to get framed for all this chaos when I put the three of you down, anyway," young Alucard says as he turns around to walk away. Suddenly, the boys yanked the collar of his coat and pinned him to the wall. He barely struggled, and kept his cool.

"Listen here, pisspot. I don't care whether you're a Demon Hunter or not. I care about your fricking arm and how you got it. Must be a hellspawn, are you? Huh? Tell it to me, freak!"

"If I were what you assumed, we wouldn't be here, right?" Alucard spat. "And besides, you shouldn't pick on the wrong person to begin with." He quickly raised his right leg and kicked lefty in the… um… yeah. Yeah. Lefty lost his grip on Alucard's neck and doubled over.

Alucard set down the basket on a nearby crate. "Who's next?" The person on the right reached for the basket, but Alucard elbows him on the gut with his demonic arm, swiftly punching the other with the same arm. The one on the middle quickly encircled his arms on Alucard's limbs and torso, trying to prevent any movement. Righty charges, and Alucard steps on the body of Righty to backflip off of the middle boy's grip. He began to land a series of punches and kicks to both assailants and dodged both of their attacks.

The trio was left bruised and decided to run away.

"Yeah, good for the three of you!" Alucard shouted. "Go back to your mothers, you imbeciles."

"Hey, you alright?" The young Alucard turns around to see a girl wearing a white dress and a red hood.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"That's you and me," the present Ruby voiced out.

The young Ruby eyes out Alucard's demonic arm. "Um, where did you get that?"

"Long story. It's causing a bit of hysteria in your village, so I think I should go," the young Alucard hurriedly replied.

"Wait! Don't go."

"Why not?"

"You're not really busy today, are you?

He thought. "Well, this is my free day of the week, and I just thought of buying some bread for my friends and all."

"See? You don't need to hurry. And besides, your friends can wait. You're from the Demon Hunter clan, aren't you?"

"Yeah. We rarely make negotiations outside our boundaries. Us kids are trying to fix those old practices in order to get along with outsiders, but with me in the mix, it's going to decrease the good rep."

"Pfft," Ruby snorted. "People are scared of anything that they think is evil in nature. Now, it may be true that you have an arm like that, but I don't think you're a bad guy."

The young boy stepped back in amazement. "Wow. First time I ever heard that from anyone, much less someone my age. Last time I've been outside, people tried to stone me to death."

"Tough life. Hey, before I forget. What's your name?"

Alucard put his hand on the back of his neck.

"You seem doubtful to say it to me," the present Ruby abrupted. "I couldn't blame you, though."

"Things were so different back then," said the present Alucard.

"I am Alucard. You?"

"Ruby. Just got home a few weeks ago for my grandma."

Alucard's eyes widened. "So… you're the girl who-"

"Yeah. The wolf thingy. Don't mention it. It's gross."

"Sure." In the corner of Alucard's eye, another adolescent comes into view, wearing a similar uniform.

"Oi!" he called. "Don't flirt around, bro! Victor is calling us!"

"Ugh, that's Yinsen, my best friend. I have to go, Ruby."

"It's alright, Alucard. See you next time?"

"If this is the last time we see each other, then we seal this with a high five?"

"Gladly." The pair clapped each other's hands and waved as they left. The scene dissipated into nothingness.

"That's it? Is there anything else, Alucard?"

"Erm… no…"

In the darkness of their thoughts, a small growing light comes into view.

"Here goes another one," Ruby warns. "Alucard, whatever you may see there, just watch. Don't say anything."

"What? Why?" As the scene shifted, he realized.

The peaceful village that he witnessed earlier became an infernal blaze. People were running around. The Demon Hunter saw a dispatched pack of wolves, shredding the folk with their claws and teeth in cold blood. Multiple houses were on fire, and the smoke blotted out the sun.

Alucard went around, trying to find Ruby, or at least, the bakery. He saw the bakery burnt to a crisp as the baker hopelessly defended himself against a wolf with a broken shotgun.

"Darn! This gun is no use!" he complained as he threw it to the wolf's skull. The animal easily caught it by the teeth and crushed it. It proceeded to pounce on the baker and rip his face. His screams echo around the perimeter.

(Um… kids? This is just the start of the violence and gore. **Ruby's backstory is no joke.** Believe me. Skip the parts if you want to. However, I shall place no indicator or any other warning. **ABSOLUTE VIOLENCE ALERT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.** )

" _Where is Ruby in all this mishap? Think, Alucard, think!"_

"Grandma? Where are you?! Help me! Please!" a voice called out from the distance.

" _Heard her. Now, time to find her."_

Alucard ran through the fire unharmed, trying to find Ruby. He sees an elderly man with an axe and a farmer's scythe run to Alucard's left.

" _That's the old man who saved them!"_

He eyes the man's actions, and is confused to see him enter a burning house with a straw roof. He exited right on time tugging Ruby before the burning roof collapsed from above.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Mister, where is Grandma? Is she alright?" Ruby questioned, her eyes filled with tears.

"I found her. I made her wait by the main gate to keep her safe. Here, hold this farmer's scythe. I didn't find a better weapon, but I hope that shall give you time." Ruby nods and follows the old man.

They sprint through the fiery path and dodge the incoming wolves. Ruby tries to look away as she sees a pregnant woman hopelessly runs as she is chased by a wolf. Another wolf corners her and leaps on her chest, the claws sinking to her ribcage.

"Don't look, Ruby! Don't look!" the old man orders.

It was easy not to look, but the screams of help and despair will scar the girl throughout her life. It only gets worse as a grim scene envelops as they reach the main gate.

Alucard sees Ruby's grandmother, wearing a shoal. She was old, and her face was full of wrinkles. However, she is backed up against a wall, because three wolves are present in front of her, threatening to bite her if she came any closer.

"Wait there, ma'am!" the man yelled. "I am coming!" The old man charges through, slicing off a wolf's neck. He cautiously dodges the swipes of the other assailants. He cuts off a hand and slashes with his axe to chop off a head. Ruby stays back, protecting her grandmother.

The old man was breathing heavily. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you for the help!" the widow replies. "Let's get out of here!"

"I don't think that will be happening any time."

Alucard was seized with nervousness. _"No way."_

Blocking the entrance was the wolf king Haas with four of his henchmen on both of his sides. The alpha wolf was technically larger than all of the other members, but Haas was a living nightmare. His fur was thick and crazed, and his canines and claws were much longer and sharper. His mouth was coated with fresh blood.

"I want you to die first, old man," he snarled. "You killed one of our brethren, a good hunter. But I know I'll gain more satisfaction when I kill her first."

All four of his companions charged straight, but they weren't going for the old man.

They were going for the grandmother.

" _No!"_

Ruby was blocking the way. The wolves snapped their jaws at her, but she didn't budge.

"Off!" She yelled. "Off! Get back! Get away!" She blocks off a claw swipe with her medium-sized scythe.

Haas laughs. "Ah, the little red riding hood. How'd you like it if we rip your grandma to shreds?"

"Back off!" Ruby threatens. "If you want her, then you'd have to go through me."

"Then so be it." Haas charges and swipes Ruby down, hitting her right eye. Ruby yelps in pain and gets knocked down, her socket bleeding terribly.

"You won't get away with this!" The old man foolishly runs straight to cut Haas, but the wolf king simply stabs his gut with his claws.

"Tsk tsk tsk. My prey never really learn, do they?"

The wolves began to devour the man and the grandmother. Ruby was in the distance, trying to close her ears. She sat on the ground.

"No… No… Grandma! No!" she begs. "Don't leave me! Please! No…"

The wolves licked their lips as they finish their meal. They eyed down the girl, not knowing what was happening in her mind.

"These wolves… they… they killed my friends… my family… they destroyed my home…" she whispers, crying. Ruby began to shiver tremendously. "The screams… the screams! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!"

Alucard, hopelessly watching, nearly had the urge to protect her.

" _Ruby… I'm… I'm sorry… so sorry…"_

"Shall we get the girl, gents?" Haas asks. "Let's chew her nice and slow."

"The blood… the fire… snarls… I… I c-can't… shut up… shut up! Shut up! Make it stop!" She pounds her temples.

The wolves began to step back.

"Why hesitate? Kill her like you mean it!" Haas orders. One of the wolves whimpers and cowers. He began to sense something bad.

"I am… I am… these animals… these monsters… they…"

The scythe next to her grew a dark aura. Haas began to realize what was happening.

"All the pain… the violence… and screams… they… shall… they shall pay! They shall! They shall! I'll make it stop! I'll… MAKE THEM PAY!"

Ruby swiftly grabbed the scythe and yells, swinging the scythe to an unaware wolf, slicing its throat clean. The wolf lay dead on the ground. The scythe transformed, gaining its infamous details.

"You'll die… for my family… and I'll make you dance," Ruby says, but that wasn't her voice. Something… someone else was talking. "I'll make you pay… and I'll kill you all."

Haas began to fear. "Kill the girl! Use anything if you must! I want that girl dead at my feet at this very hour!"

Ruby just stayed in her spot, wielding her scythe. Two wolves charged at the same time, but Ruby's aura intensifies. This disorients the assailants. They charged one at a time. Ruby poked through the first wolf's skull and sliced the other's legs. The crippled wolf whimpers as Ruby shreds through its belly like a grater, spilling the intestines and blood.

The fourth wolf stays behind Haas, its fur standing on end. Haas snarls at the girl and sprints, seeking to land its jaws on Ruby's torso. She easily dodges the attack and cuts Haas's claw, leaving a deep gash. She kept mumbling, like she was attacking while in a trance.

"My grandma… You're going… to pay for her screams!" Ruby charges without thought and stabs Haas on the back with her scythe. Haas howls in pain, trying to find a way to knock Ruby off his back. The fourth wolf pounces on her, but she keeps the wolf aloft with the covered end of her scythe. She pushes the animal off and proceeds in stabbing Haas's shoulders and spine. The sounds of breaking and cracking bones can be heard.

Ruby hops off of Haas and spins quickly with her scythe, pulling the wolf king within her reach and leaving huge gashes on his side. It also cut the jaws of the fourth wolf, killing it.

"Don't you run, Wolf King. Don't you run from me!" Ruby taunted. "Come here, little mousey! The big cat is here to rip his prey! Don't you run from me, mousey! You still have blood to offer!"

"Who are you?! Leave me alone!" Haas pleaded. "Let me go, and I'll let you live! Please! Leave me alone!"

Ruby didn't respond. Haas could barely walk. She continued with her assault, shredding Haas' massive body without mercy. The little red riding hood has gone feral, and to top it off, she began to sing a creepy song.

"Ruby has a little scythe so she could chop up wolves. The wolf king Haas has blood to pay and has sins to absolve…" she kept chanting this as Haas slowly died out of his injuries. The flames began to die out from the village.

"Oh, Wolfy! It's me, Ruby!" she said.

" _What have they done?"_ Alucard thought, his hands covering his mouth. He wanted to let go of the present Ruby's arm, but his thoughts grew wild, and he began to think that he when he pulls away, he might see the same girl that has single-handedly killed the wolf king.

The girl he couldn't recognize. The girl who was insane.

"The blood… this blood… ah, it cannot be spilled! No, no, no, no, no, it can't! Must be swept clean… My devilish reminder… of the joy and suffering…" Ruby cuts open Haas' belly, displaying the organs. She fishes out the wolf's heart from the bloody mass and puts it near her face.

"The screams… they demand vengeance. The wolves shall pay… and they will scream… for me…" Her mouth opens.

Alucard couldn't take it anymore. He let go of Ruby's grip. He began to hyperventilate. He forcibly shut his eyes. He didn't want to look at Ruby. He was afraid.

Ruby inched closer, making a blank face. "Hey, hey. It's okay! Don't worry, I am fine."

Alucard quickly hid under the table. "Don't! Okay?! Don't! I don't… I can't!" He began to cry.

"Hey, it's okay! I'm fine! Trust me. I'm fine! You don't have to worry about me," Ruby encouraged.

"I… I sh-shouldn't have left early… I could… We could've saved you! But no! We left you like this! It's all our fault. It's all my fault! I should've listened," Alucard moaned.

Ruby felt awful. "No, don't say that! It's not your fault. You didn't know. You're beginning to sound like Hayabusa."

"Ouch, Ruby," Alucard replies. "That hurt."

She smiles. "Don't take all the blame. All of it was uncalled for. Not even Victor would've known. And besides, Estes' runes got me covered. And if that doesn't work, you're all here. You said it yourself, we're family."

"We're men of sad stories," Alucard stated. "We live with the past."

"And yet, we can change the future." The two hug it out. And it felt nice. Probably unnecessary… but deserving.

Until…

The library door suddenly burst open. Alucard and Ruby tucked their heads under the table. They cannot be seen, of course. They'd also hear the sounds.

"-rry about that now. He'll handle himself just fine," a voice said.

"Karina," Alucard whispers. "Who's she talking to?"

"I guess you're right," another voice replies. "I just don't want to be another burden in his life. I want to help, but he keeps closing himself."

"That's Kagura," Ruby adds.

"Hey, I may be the hater of the group, but I feel you. It's not that easy, even for me. At often times, you have to live with the pain, which is a downer."

"I think you have an appropriate reason why you dislike Miya," Kagura switched the topic.

Karina raised her eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

"My umbrella senses thoughts and memories, though it requires the cooperation of the target in order to fully comprehend it. I just know it's there, and I'd always be correct."

Karina exhales. "Y'know who she was, right? The best archer in the Land of Dawn? The one who asked help from Selene, the Moonlight Goddess?"

"I know much about her. You could just cut to the chase."

"It's just that… she keeps owning the spotlight. When she saved the rest of the elves from the evil orcs, she received technically all of the attention. Us Night Elves weren't given credit at all. We're left in shambles. Miya herself didn't recognize."

Kagura lowered her face. "You have a proper reason to dislike her, but… you really don't do you?"

"I don't. She was my inspiration! I just hope that she could at least see what's really happening around her. I am also a bit jealous of her skill. I can't help it. She seems too perfect," the assassin exhales.

"I understand," Kagura says, putting her hand in Karina's shoulder. "I believed the two of you would be a cutthroat pair. You just have to fix the little feud in between. After that, it's all good."

"Yeah… I guess you're right. It's probably for the best." Karina then widens her eyes. "Is someone here?"

"Who? I don't feel… Yeah," Kagura replies. "Someone is here."

"We're going to die, we're going to die," Ruby said. "We're so going to die-"

"Shh!" Alucard interrupts.

"Hmm… eh. It's probably my imagination," Kagura said. "C'mon, let's get out of this place. Creeps me out."

The pair walks out of the door. Alucard and Ruby deeply exhaled.

"Jeez, that was too close," Alucard heaved. "I'm gonna need a break for now."

"That was intense," Ruby laughs. "Oh man, just imagine if Karina saw us. She'd probably chase us down even if it'd take her years."

"Nah, she's going to skin us like sheep!"

The two were in a laughing fit, until their drowsiness began.

"What time is it? We'd better get going," the Demon Hunter urges. "Somebody would probably try and find us."

He looks at Ruby, and notices she has been staring at him. "Uh, you all right?"

She brushes a lock of his white hair back in place, then puts a finger on her lips. "Shh. It's okay. I'm not insane. I'm fine. I'm just… I can't explain it."

Alucard tries to read her mind, but she sealed the link off. "Ruby, what are you saying?"

She cups her hand to his face and leans close. "Thank you for everything, Alucard. Thank you for defending us whenever I lose control, or when we all need it the most. Thank you for being there for me, no matter what. I thought I'd owe you one." She smiles, and it dawns on the Demon Hunter.

Alucard's eyes enlarged. His face suddenly flushed. He couldn't think straight. His breathing sped, and he tried hard to keep cool. But all he could think is…

" _You… you…"_

"Ruby…" he stammers. He couldn't speak. "I… I… uh, um… I lo-"

And their lips locked.

Meanwhile…

 **HA! YOU THOUGHT YOU'RE GETTING MUCH MORE SAUCE? WELL, GUESS WHAT? SUFFER.**

Don't worry, mates! This ship (as well as others) will get more **SAUCE** in the next few chapters. (Yeah, I'm one for dank memes. Just, not the offensive ones, though.)

Don't fantasize now. I don't want you to get nosebleed.

"How long have we been tracking Grock down?"

Miya, Zhao, Natalia and Tigreal rode Johnson, who was in car mode. They've been tracking Grock for five hours. They traveled quickly, covering a few hundred kilometers. Now, they're in a barren landscape.

"Nearly five hours," Natalia replies to Miya. "We have to keep tracking him until something else happens. The Ocular Sun cannot uncover Swan's secret location. We ourselves have to get there."

A few minutes have passed when the first… unnatural phenomenon occurs.

Miya looks through the car windows. "Something is off here."

"What makes you say that?" Zhao replies.

"I think I saw a glimmer." She looks cautiously at Grock, who walks without hesitation. In a matter of seconds, he passes through what seems to be a near-transparent barrier that seemed to swallow the stone titan. Grock vanishes out of sight.

"Welp, that's reassuring," Tigreal said. "Johnson, can you scan the perimeter?"

"No. Some magical force is being a hindrance. All I know is that we can get through the same barrier without issue."

"So, what next?" Zhao asks.

"We must… get through?" Johnson replied in doubt. "Look, we cannot call in Estes to help us. We could just rely on blind luck."

"Just get through it," Miya orders.

The car moves slightly faster. The glimmering barrier became much more visible when they got closer.

"Contact in 3… 2… 1…" Johnson counts. Natalia closes her eyes as they pass the barrier. They felt like they were consumed by a huge bubble. After a split second, Johnson stops.

"We're here."

The group looked around.

Due to the slight unintended alteration of data in the files, I can't seem to properly describe Swan. Though, I'll try my very best.

It's true that the land was placed right next to Swan Lake. Birds of the same name flocked around its clear waters. The townsfolk were wearing decent (and somewhat fashionable) clothes. Yun noted that these people weren't really poor or rich. They all seemed alike. Their houses were spacious and the food was rich and delicious.

But… that's not the center of attention.

"Grock in Swan! Yay!" the stone giant cheered loudly. The citizens heard this and immediately saw Grock. Fortunately, they weren't afraid. Though, the commotion emerged.

"Is that a stone titan?" a kid asks his father. "Cool! Is he here to return a tower?"

"Never saw one in my entire life," an adult says to his friends, drinking wine. "This is surely one surprise.

"Swan's a legit place," Tigreal compliments. "We just have to find Odette and Lancelot."

"That's easy. They're in the Royal Castle," Miya replies, pointing to the majestic citadel in the heart of the city. "Let's go."

Since the people were too busy paying attention to the excited Grock, it was easy for the heroes to wedge in the group without worry of being noticed. They walked around the clean streets. In no time, they reached the citadel.

Johnson says, "Swan Lake is behind this structure, along with a huge garden. Biometric scanners can't identify anything else."

"Can we access the garden without going through the castle?" Zhao asks.

"Unfortunately, no."

"Guess we'll just knock instead." Tigreal walks up a small flight of stairs and lifts the brass handle of the door. He knocks clearly.

"Hello? Anyone home? We're from the Land of Dawn. We'd like to speak with His Majesty."

The door opens, revealing a maid. "Yes, someone's here. Who is it?"

"We're from the Land of Dawn," Natalia replies. "We'd like to talk to the King."

"Ah, don't worry!" the maid answers optimistically. "I'll inform him immediately. Why don't you come in?"

"Thank you," Johnson thanks. The group walks in to the castle.

The castle was awfully similar to the one back at the Land of Dawn in terms of structure. Though, it didn't glimmer. It didn't have huge tapestries. Wanna know what it contained?

A bunch of swans.

Don't get me wrong, it is the palace of Swan. Heck, the pillars are decorated with abstract images of swans in a delicate, flowing manner. If the Land of Dawn enforced fortitude and bravery, Swan exemplified grace.

And the portrayal was well-sought.

The maid pointed to the sofas. "You may seat there and wait. I'll inform the king of your presence."

"Thank you for your time," Zhao replies. The maid bows and walks to the opposite direction.

"So, we gotta wait?" Miya asks. "This place is cool, though. Like the themes."

"Yeah," the spearman adds. "The people here are really into swans. What's up with that?"

The palace door opened again. Out came a man, most likely a knight, with long, wavy blond hair, wielding a long fencer's sword. He wore technically lesser armor, unlike Tigreal, the most prominent being the shoulderguards. He wore a leather suit and stockings. His shirt is only buttoned halfway. Zhao nearly had the urge to laugh, but then, admired the portrayal of the knight. Though, he felt he seems familiar.

"So," the knight starts. "You're here for the king?"

Tigreal's eyes widened. "Lancelot? Is that you?"

Lancelot laughs. "Still the same Lancelot, old friend."

Tigreal chuckles and embraces the fellow knight. Natalia smiles.

"How's Swan, mate? I hope you're not too caught up with street brawls."

"Nah, Tig!" Lancelot assures. "I'm done with that. I don't want to make a mess in front of m'lady, you know that, right?" He eyes Yun, Miya and Natalia. "Hmm, who are your companions?"

"Ah, we've met in the Land of Dawn," Tigreal replies.

Zhao holds out his hand. "Yun Zhao, Son of the Dragon. Your fencing skills are incredible, Lance. Never seen such skill before."

Lancelot takes Zhao's hand and shakes it. "I've heard tales of the legendary spearmen who travels between worlds to promote royalty and peace. It's an honor to meet the same man in person."

"Miya, the Moonlight Archer," the elf greets. "And this is Natalia, Tigreal's partner in covert missions."

"It's nice to see the famed Lancer," the assassin, compliments. "May we forge perfect alliances in battle."

"I hope so too, my comrades," Lancelot replies. "And who's this dude?"

"I'm Johnson," the cyborg says. "I'm the car."

Lancelot scrunched his eyebrows. "How can you be the car?"

"Long story."

"The King isn't really busy for now. He's actually sick, by the way."

"What?" Zhao reacts. "Is he alright?"

"It's just the sniffles, he'll be fine. Anyway, Odette is still in the garden. I may call her if you wish."

"Let's let her take her time," Miya suggests. "Lancelot, have you heard of the prophecy?"

"Yes, I have," Lancelot says. "Don't think that Odette and I haven't resolved the issue. We're ready to die."

"That's what we feared," Natalia adds. "The two of you will perish. The prophecy is vague. We just wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Trouble and danger always comes around, Nat," the fencer remarks. "And besides, the both of us have done enough good in this life. We'll be fine."

Zhao grins. "Lots of good times, mate? You lucky bastard!"

The group laughs. "You darn right I am!"

The maid returns, clearing her throat. "Dear visitors, the king now presents himself to you." She points to the man behind her, wearing simple white robes and a marble scepter. He looked more like a priest than a king, and he looks middle-aged.

"Welcome to Swan!" he greets, smiling. "Usually, this is a secluded, secret place, but we've expected your arrival, along with the stone titan. We have prepared ourselves for any attack, so the citizens aren't that cheery. Though, the stone titan's appearance will certainly make the front page of our newspaper."

Johnson chuckles. "Thank you for letting us communicate with you, your Majesty. I assume you know why you are here."

"Why, yes, of course. We know of our relevance to the prophecy. I have been gathering my armies for a long time."

Zhao becomes troubled. "Um, sir? You don't seem too troubled. Aren't you nervous?"

The king glances at him and says, "I have to admit, Son of the Dragon, that we were beyond terrified. For countless times, we have tried to defy fate and keep Odette here. We panicked even more when Lancelot arrived, bleeding out. But, we knew what has to be done. None of us are afraid to go now. We just had to wait for the right time."

"My Lord, where is Odette?" Lancelot asks. "I've been planning to see her."

"Ah, she's back at her bedroom, my boy! You can wait in the halls if you wish. She wouldn't mind." Lancelot bows to the king in a graceful manner, and walks up the grand stairs.

The king rubs his nose and sneezes. The maid hands out a handkerchief, helping the king wipe his nose.

"Thank you. You may go and enjoy your free time," he says.

"Thank you, my Lord. If you need me, feel free to say it." The young maid leaves the castle.

"Things would've been a lot better if I hadn't got the sniffles in such bad timing!" the king exclaims, laughing. "I heard that you were to escort Lancelot and Odette to the Land of Dawn at daybreak tomorrow. I accept that proposal."

"Thank you for everything, my Lord," Tigreal replies.

Someone walks down the stairs. Natalia thinks that it's Lancelot, but it appears to be someone else. She could see that it was a buff man, wearing a golden-brown trench coat as his top, and it was left open, exposing his bare chest, which was topped off with three long claw marks. A modified shotgun was hung on his belt, filled with silver bullets. He had a trimmed beard, and the sides of his hair stood, like the ears of a wolf. He puffed a large cigar. Natalia also noticed the mechanical gloves the man was wearing.

"So, who ought to be the king's visitors, this time of the day?" he asks.

"Ah, you're already awake, Roger. These visitors are from the Land of Dawn. They will assist in escorting Lancelot and Odette tomorrow."

Johnson whispers to Miya, "It's Clint's mentor! You have to tell the others."

Roger catches Johnson's words. "You do know you talk loudly, right?"

"Ah, darn it."

"It's alright. I knew that you have known me at some point. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Roger, from the Wastelands." Roger holds out his hand to Tigreal, which was firmly shook.

"What brings you here?" the knight asks.

"A bit of hope and luck, I guess. I didn't know this place existed," Roger replies. "Let me tell you something. I remembered that there was some sort of old prophecy which marks some sort of event. Was it a war?"

"You're right about that," Natalia replies. "I didn't know the man we were finding until a friend of ours talked about you in a dream."

Roger smokes his cigar. "Hmph. Don't think I don't know who that was."

Miya's eyes widen. "You know Alucard?"

"Yes. I have been in touch with the Demon Hunter a couple of years ago. Saw that kid minding his own business. He's a humble person, the kind of boy that wants to do great things in life. Shame that fate has been cruel to him. He probably thinks he's being a burden."

"Roger is a hunter of his own will," the king adds.

Something else still nags Tigreal. "Wait. The last time you were with Clint, you told him to shoot you when something wrong happens."

Roger stopped smoking. "It's a long story. Only a few could comprehend."

"Heck, Roger. Even we have trouble deciphering the text," Zhao jokes. "I'm sure we can handle this one."

"Can you believe me?"

"Sure!" Johnson enthusiastically says. "I've seen much more confusing stuff… like that stone titan."

"Can you forgive me?"

Before Zhao could reply, a bit of commotion could be heard.

"-and I have some new friends that I'd like to introduce you with. They're cool, believe me." Lancelot descends down the staircase with someone. She wore a small white tiara with a matching dress. She wore long socks and sported a pair of blue eyes and long, blonde hair, like Lancelot's though it is less wavy.

"Um, you're Odette, right?" Tigreal asks. "Y'know, Lan-"

"Yes, I am! I assume you're his best friend, Tigreal?" Odette interrupts.

Miya was slightly shocked. "That's one good voice! Jeez. Seems relaxing."

"Eh," Roger snorted. "Get used to it."

"Now, don't be too killjoy, old man," Lancelot jokes. "Seems like we've got a lot to catch up on."

For the next few hours, the group chatted a lot, telling some old stories. It was an overflow of memories, but Roger barely conversed, often smoking his cigar.

"He doesn't give a damn much about his health, huh?" Natalia starts, looking at the Hunter. "I mean, look at him. It's the 4th cigar that he's smoking ever since we got here."

"Actually," Johnson contradicts, "his lungs are fine. No pollution from all the poisonous chemicals. Even for a middle-aged man, this is a record."

"He's hiding something," Miya replies. "I just don't know what. All I can remember is that Clint was ordered to kill him when things get out of hand."

"Why? Is there a problem?" Zhao asks. "Can you scan, Johnson?"

"No anomaly detected."

"Well, it was by chance that he got here," Odette answered. "He needed to seek refuge, so we gave it to him. He volunteered to help in a few patrols, though it's much more preferable to keep him inside. I, Lancelot and my father know why."

"If you've been wondering, ladies and gents, Roger is a werewolf," Lancelot adds.

Natalia reacts. "A werewolf? So… the legends were true."

"Hey, we witnessed the Fountain of Youth, the Empyrean Turtle, the descent of Rafaela, and you say the legends are true?" Miya says.

Tigreal adds. "If anything, then it just assures that the world is crazier than all of us. Just imagine all the stuff that we've been feeling. Anyway, can you elaborate, Lance?"

"So, here's the thing. Mr. Smokes is actually a good-to-honest man. Awesome hunter. Protecting peaceful magical creatures and weeding out the evil and wacky. Also had a daughter, but she got caught in a wide wolf ambush. Sad news. I just forgot the name… it's um… it's… Reggie? No wait, that's a boy's name. Could be wrong…"

Zhao immediately stood up. "Ruby?!"

"Yeah, yeah… something like…" Then it hits Lancelot. "Wait, you know her?! Like, before she died?"

"Bro, she's still alive! She's back at the Land of Dawn," Tigreal adds. "Roger is going to be happy when he sees her."

"Then we shall tell him now!" Odette suggests.

Johnson rejects. "Best we keep it secret. More like a surprise."

Odette replies, "Good idea."

"Back to the main topic," Lancelot reminds. "Anyway, as I can recall, he's off for a simple mission. Though, when he hears of the attack, he immediately sprints off to the village. Unfortunately, the place was newly burned down. However, a couple of wolf bodies matted the place. The Wolf King, known as Haas, is also hacked to pieces, with his guts trailing around."

Miya, Johnson, Tigreal, Zhao and Natalia looked at each other. Odette takes notice of this.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Um, nah," Natalia lies. "It's just that… there's only one person in that village who could've done that."

"Ruby? You've got to be kidding me," Lancelot scoffs.

Zhao snickers. "You'll see."

"As I was saying, Roger made a vow to find the wolves who killed Ruby. By coincidence, he saw the ferocious White Tooth, a huge lone wolf nicknamed for his white fur and his canines, which relatively seemed like snake fangs. Since White Tooth was busy eating, Roger snuck up on him, then SHICK! A simple stab in the heart. It did kill the animal, but the curse of the moon was put into Roger. Every time the moon is full, he becomes a werewolf, savagely seeking prey anywhere. To protect his friends and family, he exiled himself."

"Also," Odette finalizes. "when he got here, the curse frequently triggered, like every three to four nights, until it occurred daily… Until he was able to control the curse. Because of that, he can transform as a werewolf whenever he needs it. Though, that may spark some bad memories for Ruby."

As the last word came out of the princess's mouth, a warning horn blared.

"What's that? An invasion?" Lancelot asks.

Odette sighs. "Seems like it. I hope it's not that bad."

"With all the stuff occurring, nothing is always good," Miya replies. "Let's go."

The group walks out of the castle, running for the walls. The Royal Guard units are being dispatched, while the citizens wait in their homes, worried.

"Wait, where's Roger?" Zhao asks. "He was just on the balcony, right?"

"Probably hid for now," Odette replies.

In the gate of the castle, a few rows of shielded spearmen were lined up, anticipating the attack. Just right over the elevated ground arose a few demons.

"There was a count of fifty Morphlings. Why would it be scattered?" The squadron leader asks.

"Ah, it's just some Morphlings," Johnson states. "Too easy to kill."

The group spots half a dozen looking down on the row of soldiers. After a while, their knees crumpled, and they fell down dead.

"Um, what?" A random officer reacts. "Can anyone check if there was any… um… casualty?"

"Someone's also there," Johnson adds. "It's… a wolf? Kinda? I don't know, the sensors are choppy due to the concealment field."

Out of the blue appeared a werewolf with a frightening face. It was buff and muscular, and it was racing for the entrance. The soldiers began to panic, so decided to stand their ground. Miya readied her bow…

That is, until she found out the wolf was wearing pants.

"Don't panic," Miya orders. "He's a friendly."

Zhao squints. "Miya, don't tell me… that's…"

"Yeah."

The wolf charges close and suddenly rolls over, transforming into something else. After a while, the ferocious wolf became a human, wearing a golden-brown coat, wielding a blunderbuss.

"So," Roger starts. "now you know who I really am."


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: First International Death Battle Convention**

Thanks for all your support on my story, ladies and gents! I couldn't have persevered for long without you!

No, that doesn't mean I'm discontinuing the story after this chapter. XD

Oh, wait… hold up, something's appearing in my files.

Wait… a sKeR mlberlj? Wh^ 1$ kit liwqheeremkl(& #?"? H(#)!mLJND DJK*^78! :"{)

GU!Y$! D*(67T W7rrYahj OI^&54m G0000NA*Y#&* F8972 ":}(&#*US O*UYW S*IHA&*TWR…

 **WARNING! FILE INTRUSION DETECTED. SCRAMBLING VIRUS DETECTED. PREPPING MODIFIED MEMETIC KILL AGENTS. FORTIFYING INTERNAL FIREWALLS.**

 **THE SYSTEM REQUIRES FULL BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF USER BEFORE ACTIVATION. FOR THIS, THREE MODIFIED MEMETIC KILL AGENTS ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE ACCESS TO ONLY ONE SPECIFIC USER. FAILURE IN PASSING ANY OF THE TESTS WILL RESULT IN TRIGGERING THE CURRENT MEMETIC KILL AGENT ON STANDBY.**

 **YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

 **Scanning Retinas… 100%**

 **Scanning Hair… 100%**

 **Scanning Facial Symmetry… 97%**

 **DEPLOYING MEMETIC KILL AGENT 001**

 _*Due to the extremities of the disturbances that can be caused by simply viewing the first agent, only the inaccessible link of the said agent is written in this document file. If accessible, this should transport you to a harmless or less disturbing image often found in random websites._

(LINK EXPUNGED)

 **Hostile intrusion stopped. Hacker eliminated. Checking life signs in primary control unit.**

 **Welcome back, *********************

*Author's real name is omitted.

Okay, sorry for that, guys. A hacker tried to take advantage of the files. Phew.

If you were asking about how my system has memetic kill agents, I shall explain that to you in a future chapter…

But not the next one.

I'm deeply sorry if I have disturbed you. Now, the system log has been embedded in this document, which is nuts. There's no way I can…

Oh well. If it wasn't for that hacker… I can assure you that he's dead. The memetic kill agents are nasty. I could register a new user, but that would be lengthy. Also, I have a few trust issues.

Anyway, this chapter is going to be very long. It could've probably taken a week or two while writing it, though it's a simple assumption, as I have been typing on my mind. Also, I have the HG RX-0 Full Armor Unicorn Gundam (Destroy Mode, Red Color Ver.) to finish, and I'd be grinding it in the weekends…

BECAUSE SCHOOL IS BACK. NO! *cue sad music

Why is the chapter very long?

Because dung hits the fan pretty hard on this.

If you're also asking why I often intervene in my chapters, it's because of this, and this only. Interaction.

Sure, it'd be fun to read a story, but to feel with the author/narrator? That would be insane. It has that mutual feeling of someone who has already read the story conversing with you. It is often kind or mean, but will leave you hooked.

(Maybe that's the only reason why you're reading my story… *grumble intensifies)

Two new heroes will be introduced. And you probably know who they are.

Let's get back to it! Hmm… where to start?

AHA!

Let's check up on Alucard and Ruby.

If you're wondering, they fell asleep… after a lengthy-

(KIDS! BE WARNED. I'M BEING DAUNTLESS ABOUT MY WORDS. Oh great, now you know I read the trilogy, too.)

After a lengthy make-out session. Yeah, they fell asleep under the same library table. Alucard's back was leaning on the board, which was the table's stand. Ruby's leaned on his chest, and his arms circled round her waist.

Though, this fluffy feeling will morph into a wave of embarrassment.

Bruno, Layla, Lolita and Chou decided to visit the Demon Hunter camp.

"Hmm, Alucard and Ruby ain't out yet," Chou starts. "Aren't they usually the earlybirds?"

"Guess they weren't sleepless elite," Layla answers. "Let's ask Yinsen."

They find him next Alucard's tent, scratching his hair.

"Um, hey, you're Yinsen, right?" Lolita asks. "Is Alucard out?"

"That's the problem. Last night, I didn't see them come here. I thought they were just having a bit of a tour in the castle, since I last saw them there. My head is going bonkers. Shouldn't have snuck in and drank Victor's ale…"

"Wait, they weren't here yesterday?!" Layla exclaims.

Bruno calms her down. "Easy, now. Anyone could have reported whether they've gone out of the kingdom or anything. They could still be in the citadel. C'mon, let's go."

"Thanks for the info!" Chou thanks, as the group races to the castle.

In the library…

Alpha was walking around, simply humming a tune. The feeling of peace didn't leave him. He surely felt that was Beta was beside him right now, talking in his head.

"How I wish you were still here," he muttered. "Yet, you're here, but I was referring to your old self. The one with consciousness."

As he walks past a door, he abruptly stopped. Something was up in his scanners.

"Someone in the library? An intruder? Hmm, gotta go check. I'm bored, anyway."

The cyborg walks in the library and opens the creaking door. He quietly closes it.

"Beta, scan for any lifeforms," Alpha whispers. "Maintain stealth mode."

The drone activates its cloak and flies around. Alpha readies his spear, but doesn't release it yet. He listens for any sound. He hears… small snores?

"This is odd. No intruder goes asleep. Probably a drunk dude. Let's find him and wake them up," Alpha says. He checks the shelves, but he saw no one. He orders Beta to check the vents just in case, but nada. There was only one place to look for.

"These are some interesting tables. They have enough space to keep people inside. Hmm…"

Beta modifies her vision and quickly scans the inside of each table. They found a sleeping pair a few tables across Alpha.

"Got you now," the cyborg snickers. He walks silently and slowly peers in the inside. He sees Alucard and Ruby, cuddling against each other.

Alpha was taken aback. Of course, he didn't know who it really was until he saw them personally. But pranking them wasn't on his mind. He suddenly remembered the last time he talked with Beta.

The last time she existed.

" _Alpha, take care of Beta," Saber orders. "I'm prepping the rift. Hurry." Alpha nods and races for the wounded cyborg._

 _Beta looked so similar to Alpha. Her body was originally designed to be sleek and graceful, but Omega's assault absolutely battered her. Her headgear was torn, and she was left crippled. Multiple bullet holes and dents were on her arms, and her incinerated chest exposed her pierced internal organs._

 _There was no saving her._

" _Beta, Beta!" Alpha yells. "Don't… don't go. No… we can still fix you. Just don't leave me! We're getting you somewhere safe, I promise."_

 _Beta reached her hand and cupped Alpha's teary face. "Shh… don't… don't you worry about me. I'll be fine. You… you must go on… without me. It's the only way."_

 _Alpha shook his head. "Don't say that…. Don't you dare say that! I made you a promise... I'm going to take… to take you to those grassy meadows you dreamt of, to the seas… and we shall see the beautiful stars! We… we'll see Rigel and Canis Majoris… we'll make our own stars… we… we'll name them ourselves… just… don't go…"_

 _Beta put her forehead on Alpha's. "Then… do it… for me… don't feel alone… you have Saber. You'll have more who will… feel for you… You are destined for more… Don't give up on yourself… don't end it all… you will see me in the end…" She was fading fast._

" _No… no… Beta… don't! No! Damn it… don't! Please… I need you… Don't leave me…"_

" _This… isn't goodbye… For wherever you will go, I… will follow you…"_

 _And she breathed her last._

Alpha blinked out, stopping his tears.

"Not today. I've made you a promise, and I'll fulfill it for you. If my friends are the remnants of my memories with you, then I shall cherish them in every way."

He genuflected and observed the pair. They felt so peaceful and calm. Alpha smiled a little. Humiliating them was not his option. If anything, he should wake them up.

"Um… ehem," he cleared his throat. "How do I say this… Hmm… uh… Wake up?" No reaction.

"Um, guys? Wake up. Your friends are probably looking for you. C'mon, before you get caught!" Again, no reaction.

Alpha sighed. "Fine, you leave me no choice." He slowly inhaled.

"WAKE UP OR YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT BY THE BUTT!"

The pair woke up in a jolt and simultaneously bumped their heads on the table. They moaned in pain, rubbing their heads.

"Ow…" Ruby says.

"Jeez, Alpha, was there any other way to wake me up?" Alucard complains.

"Judging from the position you're in, I had to resort to… drastic measures," Alpha replies, snickering. "I mean, look at you two!"

Alucard rubbed his eyes and looked around, his vision still blurry. He looked a bit below and saw Ruby still leaning her head on his chest. It finally hit him.

"Uh… um… how long have we been out?"

"The whole night."

Alucard covered his agape mouth with his hands, his face blushing hard. He was panicking.

"Don't you dare tell this to anyone," he warned. "If you do, I'm coming to scrap you for the nearest junk shop in town."

Alpha laughs. "Don't worry, Alucard. I never break promises. And besides… the two of you remind me of her."

The Demon Hunter remembers Alpha's story last night. "Oh… okay. Um… would you mind leaving us alone for a bit?"

"Yeah, sure! No problem. I'll guard the door to not let anyone in. See you." Alpha walks out of the library and silently closes the door. He stands in front, blocking the way.

"Hey, Ruby. Wake up. We might get caught," Alucard whispers, eyeing the locked door. "C'mon, Alpha's giving us a chance to get out of here."

"Wait…" she mumbles. "I'm still sleepy… uhhh…"

He sighs. "Fine… I'll just help you up." He crawls out from under the table and pulls her out. Alucard brushes off the specks of dust on her clothes.

Ruby rubs her eye (remember, she has an eyepatch) and looks at Alucard with a dreamy face. "You're still blushing."

"Wait, I am?" Alucard realizes that he has been like that the whole time. A wave of embarrassment heats his body. "Oh… um… sorry. I… was panicking when I saw Alpha, so that's that."

Ruby embraces Alucard and buries her head on his shoulder. "It felt too nice. I'm sorry if I made you overthink."

"Nah, it's fine. We should just get used to it. We should not tell anyone about this."

"Deal." Ruby gives Alucard a small kiss, which melts his brain.

"Could… you at least warn me?" He said, stuttering. "Keep at it l-longer… and I might f-forget my na-ame."

Ruby laughs, but it stops as they hear another voice in the door.

"Hey, Alpha! Have you seen Alucard and Ruby anywhere? Yinsen said they were not there since last night?"

"It's Layla!" Ruby warns. "I hope Alpha is doing his job right."

"Better not spill the beans," Alucard whispers.

"Hmm, let me check… No, I haven't. Wait, they're out since last night? Don't worry. Anyone would've known about their departure IF they did exit the kingdom in its entirety," Alpha replies.

There was a momentary pause. Layla then asked, "Yeah… good point. Hey, what are you doing, standing on the door?"

Alucard's eyes widened. He kept thinking, _"Don't. You. Dare."_

"Oh, Estes wants an extra pair of eyes just in case someone gets in and nabs some ancient knowledge. They're technically forbidden under his consent, and since I'm trustworthy enough, here I am. Sorry if I won't be able to help you. Have you tried looking at the other housing units?"

"That seems like a good idea! It's alright, Alpha. We can handle this. Good luck!" The sound of footsteps trailing away can be heard as the Malefic Gunner left, completely unaware.

Ruby wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. "Good thing Alpha's good in misdirection."

Alpha opened the door and motioned at the pair to leave quickly. "C'mon, go before someone else finds out. Better make an excuse when you get seen. Act natural, my friends."

Meanwhile…

"Easy now… easy…"

"Keep quiet, dude!"

Cyclops and Harley were on the firing range. The little giant was aiding Harley in making a complicated magic technique.

"Almost…" Harley mutters. "Almost…"

In a flash, a ball of flame burst out of the mage's wand and flew to the nearest target. After making contact, a ring of fire was conjured, encircling the target.

"Woah, that's awesome!" Cyclops cheers. "Wonder what that thing does."

"Well, I saw this spell in one of my old books. If I throw my combat cards there, they'll burn, dealing much more damage. After a while, the ring of fire implodes, and BAM! Roasted target."

"Hmm, that would be helpful when facing tougher enemies, but focusing on the others will be a bit mind-boggling. I can cover that up. My planetary orbs shall do the trick." Cyclops raised his hand and cast multiple translucent balls. He sent them forth to the other targets and they burst into pieces.

"You guys are too early," a voice called. It was Nana. "Aw, you took all the targets. I was gonna whack them with my boomerang."

"You do know they're holographic, right?" Cyclops reminds. After a while, a dozen holographic demons came into place.

"Oh… I… uh… heh. Forget I said that." Nana walked up to the firing range and started to practice. Cyclops and Harley gave her space.

"Ey, are you into her?" Cyclops asks Harley. "You've been with her for a long time, and you've got this weird, dreamy look-"

"Yo, quit it, dude," Harley laughs. "If anything, you've got YOUR eye on her."

"I really don't mind her much, Harley. You know that," Cyclops says, chuckling. "I was asking if she reminds you of someone."

Harley checks his cards, deep in thought. "It's a bit of… ehm… a personal matter."

"Oh… okay. Look, I may be a kid like you, but if you do need some advice, I'm free to help. Cyclops is here to make people cheer!"

"I know you want to help, Cyclops, but it isn't a simple matter. If only you could understand-"

"Let me guess," the giant interrupts. "It's the main reason why you're here with us."

Harley doesn't respond.

"We all have our excuses, Harley. I mean, all of us here were either forced, or have simply volunteered. Out of all the others, I didn't expect that you'd be willing to come."

"Weren't you willing to join as well?" Harley asks.

"What? Nah. I was only willing because I wanted to meet friends. However, whacking the Apocalypse Queen with my hourglass will be fine as well."

The two laugh, patting their shoulders. After a while, they see Alucard and Ruby from outside the training arena, simply walking around.

"Wait, weren't they missing last night?" Harley asks Cyclops, pointing at them.

"Actually, they weren't."

"Really? Where did they go?"

Cyclops snickers. "To the library."

Harley senses something fishy. "Cyclops, tell me. What did they do?"

"Not answering. I see lots with my hourglass, even indecent stuff. I don't want to stain your mind, too."

Harley's eyes widened. "You saying that is enough for me."

"Aren't we supposed to not talk about this? We're still kids."

"Says who?"

"Hey, quit it," Nana interrupts. "Don't think I'm listening."

"Told you," Harley says to Cyclops with a winning grin. "I hope you didn't hear too much, Nana."

"I've heard enough to persuade me to tell Miya about it, and no one's gonna stop me."

"C'mon, don't spill the beans to her," Cyclops pleads. "You don't want her to spout ideas in order to score Yun."

"Wait, she likes Yun?" Harley gasps.

"I know much, but not all. This is getting out of hand," Cyclops chuckles. "Anyway, I am very sure that Miya and the others will be coming back in the afternoon with Lance and Odette, though I have a nasty feeling."

"What nasty feeling? Another attack?"

"That's already expected," Harley tells Nana. "Cyclops is probably referring to the second convoy."

Estes walks into the trio who were talking. "How's the day?"

"Oh, it's fine!" Nana greets. "Isn't the next group going to be dispatched later?"

"Yes, in the morning," the Elven King replies. "They're already preparing. Don't be too worried now, you will see the others later."

"Um, Estes?" Cyclops asks. "Have you heard about the minor commotion of Alucard and Ruby going missing?"

"They never go missing. I know where all of you are going, not to mention what all of you are _doing_."

Harley's eyes widened. "So… y-you mean…"

"Best to leave that topic to the mature. Anyway, you're part of the convoy, Harley. I suggest you get ready. We could be launching anytime soon."

Estes suddenly jerks his head. "An update from the Ocular Sun. We have gathered the coordinates."

"It is still in between Iga and Onmyouji, right?" Cyclops asks.

"Yes… but… it is somewhere in a plain field. That's odd, to say the least. I thought it would be wedged in a couple of trees. C'mon, go ahead, Harley. I will dispatch in an hour."

Meanwhile…

"I hope no one makes rumors," Ruby says to Alucard. "It would be embarrassing."

"Yeah, very. This is some creepy cat and mouse game."

They walk around the corner and sees Fanny, leaning against the wall aimlessly, head hung low. She catches their movement in the corner of her eyes and raises her head.

"Oh, hey!" she says. "Your friends are looking for you. Where've you been?"

"Um, we were supposed to go to the library to check up some stuff for the journey later, but we fell asleep in the wrong time," Alucard explains, perspirating. He silently prayed that Fanny would take the bait.

"Ah, it's okay. No problem. It's a common issue. It's really too quiet that you could hear the blood rush to your ears. Wanna let me tell the others? Estes also wants you to go to the citadel for the departure."

"No, it's alright. We'll just explain it to them on the way. Wait, why are you just standing back there, doing nothing?"

"I have no duties for now," the flyer replies to Ruby. "Gotta wait for the naval ships or something to pop up. C'mon, Layla is getting nerve-wracked to find you guys."

*insert random transition XD

The convoy in Swan has secretly left the palace under the King's command. With the help of Estes' portals, they only need to cover an hour of travelling to reach the Land of Dawn. (And don't worry, Grock carries Lancelot and Odette on his shoulder carefully.)

"I didn't know Swan had some form of connection with the tower you're carrying around," Odette starts.

"Grock was entitled to a very old ancestor of yours, milady. Coincidence for Grock to give it to you. Now, it is under my holdings."

"I think you meant, possession, but, never mind. How did you wake up?"

"Grock don't know. Grock just did," the stone titan rumbled. "My friends no longer exist. I only have tower to send."

"Your former buddies might not be there anymore, but we're still here," Lancelot replies. "And besides, a lot more will be back there in the Land of Dawn."

"More buddies? Yes! Grock wants friends! Thank you!"

Suddenly, a ball of fire hits Grock in the face. He was unhurt, but it annoyed him.

"Who threw that to Grock?" The titan starts. "I will bash his head!" He looks behind him, and his expression changes.

A huge swarm of black bat-like creatures are approaching fast, spewing small fireballs everywhere. Grock swats them off with his arm, but they easily dodged the attack.

"Spitfires!" Miya exclaims. "I can shoot them down, but you will have to cover me." The archer climbs on the roof, nocking an arrow.

"Odette, I won't be able to get up close. Use your magic. I will take out anything that comes close," Lancelot orders. "Don't worry, my love. I will be right here."

"Breaking your word is intolerable," Odette warns.

"Of course. I always keep my promises." Lancelot embraces her for a moment and runs to the titan's neck.

"Grock, don't fight them head-on. Our job is to get to the Land of Dawn. We must try and get them off our trail."

"Understood. Grock to protect allies!"

Miya fires a light arrow that split into three more arrows, downing two Spitfires. She kept repeating her barrage in breakneck speed that not even Zhao could clearly see the flicks of her wrists.

"Miya, watch out! Reapers on our backs!" Natalia warns. A small pack of hooded figures hovered towards them. Johnson gains more speed, but the Reapers are getting closer.

"That's it, I'm coming out!" Zhao calls, climbing to the roof. "Miya, aim for the Spitfires. I'll handle the Reapers."

"Don't you die on me," Miya threatens. "I'll strangle you when I do."

"Sure thing," Zhao snickers. He formed a basic stance, tightly gripping his spear. The first Reaper charged, holding out its claws. The spearman quickly stabbed it and pulled out the spear in less than a second, injuring it greatly. It floated even slower, but two more replaced it.

"Missile Barrage ready!" Johnson interrupts. He releases multiple homing missiles from his bumpers and hood, flying to the Spitfires and Reapers. The floating ghouls were taken aback because of the intense force the missiles generated, taking one out. The pursuers slowed down. The Spitfires immediately scattered, frantically dodging the missiles. Odette began having a hard time aiming for one of them. Neither came close.

"Johnson, force them to ball up. I will get a bigger target!" Odette yells from far away.

"Okay then. Miya, can you make the Spitfires veer against each other? Odette needs a bigger shot."

"On it!" Miya leans, switching her aim. She fires on the edge of the swarm. The Spitfires simply flew to the opposite direction, but they bumped onto each other. The archer hurried with her shots, because the swarm is getting closer.

"Almost there!" Miya updates. Zhao spun around, forcing the Reapers back. He was fighting three of them at the same time. If he gets clawed, it will hurt a lot. A Reaper's claws were tinged with neutralizers. They may not poison, but it will surely deal a blow to the victim's nervous systems.

And at that point, only Estes' runes will wear off the effect.

"I can't hold them off much longer!" Zhao warns. "It's more like I'm protecting myself than Miya!"

Johnson deploys his rear armaments, peppering the enemies with a hail of bullets. The Reapers cover themselves with their tattered cloaks, shielding themselves.

"Thanks," Yun says to Johnson. His new battlefield gave him ease as the Reapers charged on by one. He swiped upward and sliced off the first one's neck. "Becoming a bit easier!"

"Odette, cast your spell by the count of three!" Lancelot commands. A Spitfire lands, snarling at the mage. The knight easily punctures the animal and kicks it off Grock, who was not yet injured.

"Please swipe off these bats from Grock! Itchy back!" The titan complained. "Tempted to scratch!"

Miya began the countdown. "3… 2… 1… NOW!"

Odette releases a holographic swan that dives through the balled-up swarm. The Spitfires took a few seconds to realize the tactic laid upon them. They frantically separated, but it was no use. The swan bursts, incinerating the demons. Those who were able to veer off the blast zone were caught by the resonating sound waves. They forced their ears shut, giving no regard to their flight. As they fell, a few latched onto Grock's rocky spine, climbing their way up.

"It didn't kill all of them," Lancelot warns. "Time to do my job." He jumps off of Grock's shoulder, aiming for the Spitfires.

"Dude is crazy," Zhao mutters. "Are you seeing this, Tigreal?"

"Lancelot is known for his rebellious nature," Tigreal grins. "He wouldn't do that if it were suicidal, though."

The nearest demon charged to the knight, but Lancelot phases, casting his shadow skills at the Spitfire. He merely dashes and cuts through the next and slashes it down in a triangular pattern, attacking from three sides.

"That's awesome," Johnson judges. "Next artillery barrage, coming right up!" The rear armaments reloaded, and Zhao stepped back, letting the guns do the talking. There were still a lot more to go. It is fortunate that Miya has aimed for the Reapers now.

Out of the corner of Natalia's eye, a yellow figure spun (yes, spun) to the cluster of demons and stopping at the center. The figure generated a puff of smoke and two more popped out. It took a while to realize that three of the figures were exactly the same.

"Let's go, boys!" A voice cried out. The figures had rocky skin and a rusty chest plate. A double-tipped golden cudgel laid on their hands, being used as whacking sticks on the ambushed Reapers.

"That's Sun!" Miya points out. "The Monkey King! He has escaped."

Sun and his doppelgangers ran to the car. "Hola, mates! Go on ahead, I'll take care of these ugly bozos!"

"How on earth did you escape?!" Zhao asks. "Weren't you trapped in-"

"Yes, I was trapped in stone. Long story. Shoo! Go on! I'll take care of this!" Sun ran back, leaping on a demon. The convoy speeds off, racing for the Land of Dawn.

Meanwhile…

"Where on earth have you two been?!" Chou yells, shaking Alucard's shoulders. "We've been stressed out finding you!"

"Sorry, dude. Ruby and I accidentally slept inside the library while reading some books and all."

"Oh, okay," the Kung Fu master replies. "It's alright. Happens to most of us. Were the books boring?"

"Some legit stuff, took long for us to realize we fell asleep unknowingly," Ruby adds.

"So that's what happened," Bruno starts. "I thought you were captured or something."

Alucard's friends (along with Hayabusa, Kagura, Harley and Akai) march along the plains between Iga and Onmyouji. It wasn't as hot as the Wasteland deserts, though. It was somewhat cool. The valleys and mountains crowd the landscape.

"What was it that Estes told us again? The 4th shard is in the middle of a freaking plain?" Layla exclaims. "So what, we have to scurry and search for it?"

"We don't have to dig," Harley replies. "From the old manuscripts, it's confirmed that all of the paths to the split shards remain open, and we don't have to level the ground."

"Though, it's not that easy to take the shard in the middle of nowhere," Lolita adds. "As you can see, we're susceptible to any attack, no matter how small the force." She was right. High ground was around them, and being in the middle of the battlefield is the worst place to be right now.

(If you have read Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", it says that you should always stay in the high ground, with the sun bearing its light to the ground below you. That way, the enemies below won't see you that easily, while their whole army is in full view. Also, this can help you prepare a better ambush and strategy, and even if the ratio of men is 1:10, you can hold them off with proper execution.)

"The Lords of Order is probably trolling us now," Akai stated. "Kagura and I walk to the Land of Dawn to find Hayabusa, and after a few days, sent off back to where we came from. Great."

"Walk weeks, get back here afterwards. All for a shard," Kagura grumbles. "Fate is so-"

The mage loses her footing and nearly falls. Thanks to Akai's staff, she retains it. She brushes off the dirt from her dress as she looks behind her. "Woah…"

If she fell, she would've skidded down the huge crater in front of them. The crater was perfect in terms of symmetry, but it wasn't overall deep… just a couple of meters down. What's more astounding than the crater itself is the thing in the middle of it.

A protodrake.

"Isn't that a dragon?" Hayabusa points to the massive, curled lizard, puffing white smoke as it eyes the group from below.

"That's an ancient protodrake," Alucard explains. "In our texts, a protodrake is uniquely molded by the Lords of Order to join fierce battles or to protect ancient treasure. I haven't seen one in my entire life, but I am sure it's guarding the 4th shard."

"But what about the crater?" Ruby asks.

"The protodrake, no matter how huge it is, won't generate this aftermath and survive. Only one logical explanation can be used: many tried to kill the dragon and take the shard."

The group slides down the crater's edge carefully and treads the black sand. They walk slowly as they fear the protodrake's next move. They were able to get a more detailed look of the beast itself.

Its four legs were muscular, and a set of sharp claws adorned its feet. Harley considered it having an average weight, as it didn't sport a large belly (even with that, it's odd how it was able to maintain that, judging from the environment it is in). Its dark blue scales were peppered with scars and battle wounds not even the Demon Hunter can familiarize. Its wings were orange, but immensely tattered. Two rough horns were on its head. Its teeth were serrated, but a few were missing. Its yellow eyes gave off a ferocious glare that put the heroes to the edge.

"Does it see us as enemies?" Chou asks. He gets closer, and the protodrake immediately snarls at him, snapping its jaws. "WOAH WOAH, okay, that was close." He quickly back off.

"If it sees us as enemies, we'd already be dead, unless it can't fight," Lolita replies, readying her hammer. "Alucard, any idea?"

"I didn't know this existed near us," Hayabusa adds. "I can sense distortion fields in this area. The place was camouflaged in plain sight."

Alucard nears the beast, stretching out his demonic arm. The protodrake didn't budge, but its glare remained. The Demon Hunter sheathed his greatsword and took a deep breath.

"We're not going to hurt you. It's fine," he mutters, as if he was talking to the protodrake. It slants its head, curious.

"Don't kill us then and there, Alucard, I swear to the Lords," Akai urges.

Alucard gets close enough to lay his arm on the beast's forehead. From the uncurling of the protodrake's body, it was sure that he gained its trust. From the cerulean mass, a stylized pedestal came into view, and on it was the 4th shard.

Alucard's mind suddenly flooded with a vision, but this didn't create headaches, unlike before. When he blinks his eyes, he began to see what could appropriately be described as hell.

The whole landscape around him was ablaze, and the mountains and valleys grew barren and spiky. Numerous evil dragons and wyverns flew around, with a couple of demons, but they weren't going to hunt. They were to flee.

He turns around, seeing a mass grave of dead bodies. They were either eviscerated or burned to the crisp. What's weirder is that it consisted of every single race. Humans, Orcs, Elves, Giants and even Kastiyans.

" _What happened here?"_

He looks around the landscape, and he sees a black figure wielding a single-edged green longsword with a skull for its crossguard. The aura around it gave Alucard an uneasy feeling. The figure's torso was exposed, and slight bits of armor were practically embedded on its skin, along with a set of green razor-sharp claws. His feet were that of a raptor's. His face was covered with a triangular horned helmet with four large slits, two on each side. But there's a catch. The person had no face, only a pair of flaming wisps for his eyes.

" _He did this? Who is he?"_

He walked slowly, letting the sword drag and skid on the ground, generating green sparks and leaving a linear scorch mark.

"Their souls are insufficient," it began to speak with a resonating voice. "The sword needs more! I will kill anyone who crosses me. No quarter given!"

Alucard pulls his arm away from the dragon, hyperventilating. "Someone was here. Someone powerful."

"Someone?" Layla asks. "Who?"

"I don't know. We have to get the shard now."

"There it is," Kagura says. "I hope this will be easy." She reaches for the shard, but a voice stopped her.

"It will never be too easy, my darling."

Alice and Vexana was on the edge of the crater, numerous Ravagers and Reapers standing with them.

The heroes are cornered.

"So, what's all the commotion about again?"

Meanwhile…

Fanny resumed her regular patrols, whizzing around the kingdom. Out of her boredom, she decides to pay a secret visit to the civilian camps. She hears gossip from a group of adult women with mischievous tones in their voices.

"I can't believe that Estes recruits these heroes for our protection! They all look menacing and ugly. There isn't even a single attack! Is this a huge joke?"

"Also, this Alucard person has a demon arm! A demon arm! Why would Estes dare put him in the league?!"

"Don't forget the fact that we have former archenemies coming to us, like that Bane!"

Fanny was shocked with what they said. She angrily marches to them, but Rafaela intervened and gripped her arm.

"Don't, Fanny. You'll only fan the flames."

"Let me go, Rafaela. I need to defend my friends."

"You are already doing your best. You shouldn't put yourself at risk for trying to. The gossip will only get worse. The time will come when it will dawn on them."

"When? After eternity?" Fanny spat. "All this time they have merely complained. They don't see the advantages. And now, when we need to put ourselves to the ugly truth, they turn away!"

(That, ladies and gentlemen, is absolutely true. This isn't just a political issue, though. It happens anytime, anywhere. So, I am going to say this. It's alright to think positive, as long as you don't disregard the negative. And vice versa. Never leave out the good things. Never leave out the bad things. This is a problem to both citizens and the government, but I am not being specific, as this fact is collateral.

It is what deteriorates society. And it must be purged.)

"I also wished for things to be good, like before. But the Dark Lord went too far, and everything went down in history."

An alarm blared, which caught everyone's attention.

"What's that?" Fanny asks.

"The naval fleet is here! Quick, they need assistance."

Both Fanny and Rafaela flew above the structures to reach the kingdom's harbor. Fanny could already see Yi Sun Shin's naval fleet approaching, along with Bane's flying galleon. A few smaller boats came into view, revealing Lapu-Lapu's tribe, Gatotkaca in the frontlines.

They were fiercely fighting against the water serpents that came to hinder their approach. Bane's ship was barraged by a few Spitfires. Fortunately, the ships are still intact, but they won't be able to hold on for long. Cyclops, Nana, Balmond, Hilda, Clint, Saber, Karina, Estes, Franco, Freya, Alpha and Hylos were rushing to the scene.

(Guys, is there any non-awkward solution in order to save a lot of time from typing all their names?)

The ships reach the harbor, but they have no plans for making a safe boarding. Some stopped just next to the sandy shore, while the others immediately swam for it, but most of the swimmers got gobbled up by the serpents. Clint started to crouch and fire his revolvers, quickly reloading when he needed it. Nana and Cyclops launched their projectiles, aiming with better precision.

"We have to shake the demons off!" Saber commands. "Be careful not to risk the welfare of the ships."

"We won't be able to go melee on them!" Hilda yells.

Estes contradicts. "Yes, you can. I will conjure some portals."

Four portals warped in front of Hilda and Balmond, letting them reach a few of the ships. Saber charges through one, transporting him to Bane's ships, where Gatotkaca flew as well.

"You're back, cyborg man!" The warrior said. "A little help here!" He whacks a landing Spitfire off the starboard side, while expelling lightning to the air, roasting some of the flying demons. Fanny took action and hooks herself to the airborne ships, angling her flight patterns and whirling her blades to any unsuspecting demon that comes across her.

Clint fires at the land sharks that are crawling out of the shore. He spins and flips around, avoiding their poisonous spits. He pulls out a revolver clip and throws it in the air while stomping down a land shark. He jumps, inserting the clip in mid-air, and shoots down an incoming Spitfire.

"They keep on coming! My firing hands might go numb for sure!" he exclaims. Cyclops goes beside him and throws his cosmic projectiles to the swarm of land sharks. This slows them down, while Balmond and Hilda chop their limbs.

"At least we have a bit of target practice," Nana giggles. "It's fun to make them fluffy!" She holds out her hand, turning a Spitfire into a cat. Hylos strikes the morphed demon to the sea. Spitfires hate water. Karina swiftly performs a dance of death, piercing through the land sharks and dodging their attacks with ease. She throws her blades like Frisbees, taking down a Spitfire.

Yi Sun Shin receives help from Estes, who teleports there. The Elven King casts healing spells and chronofields to slow down the enemy.

"Glad you reached here in one piece," Estes says to Yi Sun Shin.

"Could've been worse without you, old friend," the general replies. He pulls out his glaive, charging through the land sharks on the ship. A fellow crew officer of his join in the clash, slashing with his glaive. Estes casts a chronofield on a group of land sharks, giving time for the duo to react and take them down.

Hylos is being crowded by Spitfires and land sharks, but he raises his scepter and generates a blue offensive aura that slows them down and deteriorates them like radiation. He marches through the frontlines, scattering the demons like sheep.

"Their numbers are decreasing! We must maintain our ground!" He eyes Fanny having a hard time controlling her flight, for the Spitfires are beginning to aim for her. Gatot launches a barrage of lightning to take them out, but only a few got hit in the blast zone, and none of them died. Freya jumps in and morphs into an upgraded state, and her weapons simply cut through the horde without much effort, breaking the lines.

"Help the flyer!" Lapu-Lapu orders to his brethren. "The last of the Spitfires are chasing her!" A few of his tribe readies their bows and launches their arrows, taking down a few of the airborne enemies.

Bane cleaves through a line of land sharks and launches a random shell to the swarm. This dealt a blow, forcing them to scatter. However, this separation was actually intentional, as the demons covered all of Fanny's possible flight paths. Alpha, who was flying on Beta, launches a bullet hailstorm on the underwater land sharks. Rafaela casts light spells to dispel the flyers.

"Argh, I need some space!" Fanny mutters as he charges through the spot with the least demons, slicing through the Spitfires. Nana launches a boomerang to knock down a Spitfire on Fanny's trail, but fails to hit the other. Cyclops began to exhaust and started to launch his projectiles randomly.

"Cyclops being dizzy, can't take it!" He sits down suddenly, catching his breath. Fanny got nicked by the Spitfire's fireball, burning her flight gear.

Saber immediately jumps off of Bane's ships, intent on saving her. Fanny frantically waved her arms, slashing randomly to swat off the Spitfires diving for her, ready to slash her to bits. Alpha stabs one while Saber continued on his descent. Clint aims at the demons, but what came out were clicks, for he ran out of ammo.

"I won't reach her, but my swords can." Saber launches his flying swords, which eviscerates the last of the Spitfires. Alpha grabs Fanny's hand and swings her in the air as Estes conjures a safety bubble for her to land safely.

But what about Saber?

Alpha and Rafaela couldn't catch with him in time, so the swordsmaster plummeted to the water, where the serpents were waiting for him.

"Saber! No!" Alpha shouts as he forces Beta to release the bullets randomly. Estes casts a revealing rune to see what was under the water. Saber's body was being chewed on, but his struggle wasn't futile. Cyclops was able to cast his last spells in time to save the cyborg, while Alpha aimed his rockets and took out the serpents. He dives, pulling Saber out of the hostile shore.

He took a huge beating. His visor was beyond repair, and his armor was shredded to bits. His swords were broken as well, and he was missing a leg. However, he was still operational, as his reactor wasn't damaged.

"I am fine for now," Saber mutters. "I only need repairs."

"Fine? You look like a wreck!" Alpha exclaims. "I should've caught you, but I wasn't fast enough."

"It's alright. We can now apply the new schematics," Saber adds. "That's the only chance I have got."

Balmond rushes to them. "Will he be alright? That's a lot of damage."

"I will be fine, Orc," Saber replies. "You should mind your welfare. That's a nasty cut." He points to the graze that Balmond received in his forehead.

"I hope the other convoy is alright," Clint says to Freya. "They're all out in the open field."

"We can't simply wish that Alice won't be there to make a ruckus," Franco adds.

"Guys?" Freya motions. She eyes the horizon, seeing Grock. "Lancelot and Odette is here."

Back to the other group…

"I knew it," Bruno whispers to Chou. "She'd catch us unawares. We're so dumb."

"It's expected, dude," Chou replies. "Just act natural."

"This is too easy," Vexana cackles. "It's all too easy. A bunch of dumb dimwits in a suicide mission."

"Ain't a suicide mission if we get back to the Land of Dawn alive," Harley boasts.

"Ahh, I knew you're a newbie to the group, dear Harley," Alice says. "C'mon now, we aren't here for you! We're here for the stinking shard."

A figure emerges, and Alucard recognizes it as Zhask, wielding his staff. He adds, "Why play around with them, you two? Take them out! They're a hindrance!"

"Silence, Zhask. The Dark Lord shall claim their lives, not us!" Vexana growls.

"You just waited for us to get here, didn't you?" Kagura asks. "We knew that was coming. Anymore tricks up your sleeve?"

Vexana eyes her with malicious intent. "The young Kagura. I knew Hayabusa had someone close to him before. Sadly, that was before. Hard life?"

"Don't tempt me," Hayabusa growls. "Don't tempt any of us. I already know what you're doing. You're pushing us to the edge. But the body must obey the mind." The heroes stood in a circle, facing outward. The protodrake snarls.

"Whose, Shadow of Iga? Whose?" Alice backfires. "Whose mind? Ours, or yours?"

"Don't let me stick around to find out," Ruby retorts, readying her scythe.

"Told you to finish them off early!" Zhask complains. "See? Their morale just increased! What makes you think we can fight them alone?"

"What makes you think you have the power to command us, bug face?" Alice spat.

The heroes silently chuckled due to the outcome of the conversation.

"Okay, okay, this is our enemy?" Akai starts. "All they do is taunt!"

"Yeah, and they're split hard!" Layla joins in. "Oh, how the tables have turned."

Zhask hears this. "Quiet! You think you can best me, the Planetary Dominator? I have destroyed countless worlds for life! Countless! And you laugh to my face?"

"Well, they do have a point," Alucard stifles. "You're all complaining on why one hasn't done the other's wishes, while we're sitting here thinking of what to do next."

"And what will you do next, Demon Hunter? Slay our minions, like you always do? Live a life full of lies? You're all just pawns in a one-sided chess game, and you're worthless against the Queen," Alice shouts. "All of you! So easy to single out. So easy to eliminate. What makes you think you're powerful enough to face us?"

Chou shrugs. "Simple. When the pawn reaches the enemy's side, it can be replaced for a stronger unit. That way, the tides will change."

"And there are a lot of us pawns here, missy," Lolita adds. "And only one is needed to reach the end."

"If you say so, then I'll have to kill you all, here and now!" Alice launches a red orb to the group, but Bruno saw it coming. He quickly kicks a ball to knock Alice's head, leaving her dazed. The red orb immediately disappeared.

"Tick tock, boys and girls. Time to crash the party crashers," the Protector chants. "Ready?"

"As we'll ever be," Akai answers. The Ravagers charge in, and Akai suddenly bounces to the middle and spins around with his staff, whacking them around, leaving them stunned.

"That's our opening!" Harley shouts. He teleports with his hat and throws his flaming deck of cards that automatically homed in on the nearest enemy. He goes back to his hat and picks it up, throwing it to a random location and shoots another deck of cards again. He teleports next to a Ravager who attempts to slash him, but he spins behind, calling back the cards. This shredded the monster.

Ruby casts an attack wave to the wave of monsters which blows them back. She spins around to slice them clean and lock them down. Hayabusa charges with his blade and cuts down a Reaper with precision. He dashes back and forth to dodge their counters.

Zhask yells, "Attack them now, my younglings!" The Kastiyans poured in as well and shot beams at the group. Lolita rushes and casts her Noumenon shield, blocking the lasers easily. Layla jumps in and blasts the ranged enemies with her cannon. A Ravager jumps on her, but Chou kicks it away with such force that it split into two.

"You alright, Layla?" Chou asks, striking a Reaper with his fiery palms, stunning it.

"I'm fine! Help Kagura and Akai!"

Kagura throws her umbrella and casts pink, flowery projectiles on the enemies. She teleports and dashes off, leaving the Ravagers confused in her whereabouts. Akai jumps again and squashes a Ravager flat.

"Oops, sorry. Had three lunches today," he mumbles. He slaps his stick at a Reaper and pokes it, letting Ruby slice it down.

"Too violent?" Ruby questions, smiling. A trickle of blood was on her face.

Akai shook his head. "In all honesty, that fits you. Duck." Ruby ducks, dodging a Kastiyan's laser. Alucard grips his greatsword and cuts the alien.

"We need to focus on the evil trio," Alucard reminds. "We would degrade the flow of monsters if we do so."

The protodrake remains curled, but it spews black flame that incinerates the Ravagers to dust. The Kastiyans focused their lasers on the dragon, but the armor was too thick for projectiles. The protodrake swats them off.

Vexana goes down the crater, launching a ghastly hand at Bruno. He leans on his right and kicks his ball in mid-air to the Necromancer, but a Reaper knocks it aside.

"Be careful with Vexana's ghostly grips!" Hayabusa warns. "They'll pull you to her trap!" He teleports to Vexana and slashes her down, but she reacts instantly, creating a force field around her. The ninja's blade couldn't cut through. Kagura throws her umbrella to Vexana and teleports, dispelling the force field.

Hayabusa and Kagura stood next to each other, their powers growing volatile. "I have an idea," she says. "A crazy one."

"I know. Finding a way to make up for last time?" Hayabusa jokes.

"Don't make me whack you. Ready?"

Hayabusa grips Kagura's arm, which accelerated the instability. Streaks of violet light emerged from their bodies, and as Hayabusa throws her to Alice, Kagura touches the stunned mage and immediately teleports to the umbrella. Alice receives the explosion point blank, making her soar to the air. She gains control of her flight.

"You're becoming nuisances!" she yells. Layla tries to shoot her down, but Alice's wings simply shrugged them off.

Zhask chants, "Awaken, destroyer of worlds, the Dominator!" A big alien sprouts from the ground, its legs clamping on the soil. It looked more like a turret than a person. It shot lightning bolts to the dragon, which hurts it, for the projectiles were enhanced.

"Oh no, not another baby!" Harley mutters. He casts his fire ring at it and throws his cards, which dissipated into ash. The fire ring implodes, scorching the spawn. However, it was still functional, and proceeded to shoot bolts of lightning, never caring about the attack it received. Akai whacks it down with frustration, finally killing it.

"Those things are tough as shells!" Akai reacts. "Keep your distance when you can and take them out immediately!"

Alucard charges straight to Zhask and strikes downward. Zhask blocks the attack and pokes Alucard back, throwing him far.

"They've told me a lot about you, Demon Hunter. Let's see if you can best a Kastiyan," Zhask challenges, pointing at him.

"What made you come back here?" Alucard interrogates. He runs straight to the Dominator, dodging his projectiles. He spins and slashes to the side, but he underestimated Zhask's melee potential.

"I have been attempting to target your world, ever since, boy. Take note of that!" Zhask casts the Dominator behind Alucard, but Hayabusa teleport and initiates Shadow Kill, locking it down before it attacks the unaware Alucard. He teleports to help Lolita, who was blocking the Kastiyans attacks for Layla.

Alucard grew annoyed. "We're merely a freaking reserve for you? You have targeted us so long ago?!"

"If it weren't for the angels intervening against my plans, you wouldn't have been here to fight me, fool! If they hadn't made it worse for my deserving race, you'd be non-existent, along with those who call your friends!"

"Every life is deserving of survival, but this is downright wrong!" Alucard answers back. He slashes down a Reaper behind him, cutting off a claw. He kicks it down and slashes its chest with his demonic arm. "Your greed for the essence of life has corrupted you! This is your fault to begin with, not the seraphim!"

"And now, one of those who halted my progress has turned against everyone, and that makes the plan a lot easier!" Zhask taunts. "And what about you, Alucard? What will your friends do?"

" _One from the seraphim?"_ Alucard thought. _"Probably the one from my dream._ "

Chou slams his fist, causing a shockwave that stops the Ravager's attacks. He focuses his punches on Alice, who nearly claws Harley. No matter how hard he punched, Alice didn't get fazed.

"Why… are you… still up?!" Chou groans in frustration. Hayabusa throws his shurikens at Vexana, who was casting explosive spells at the ninja. Lolita generates the shield blowback at the Kastiyans, burning them due to the radiation. Kagura throws her umbrella to the remaining Kastiyans, eliminating them.

"Don't ask." Alice grabs Chou by the neck, but the grasp wasn't long, as Akai slaps her hand with his staff.

"Not now, missy," the panda says, but Alice clenches her fist and Akai gets locked in a blood trap.

"Don't move, chubby one. Your blood is ripe for the taking!" Alice charges at Akai, but Bruno kicks his ball at her, diverting her attention. She then flies straight to the Protector, but Harley comes in the way, casting another fire ring. The mage teleports to a safe distance, throwing his fiery cards.

Alice, still grinning, mutters, "Too easy." She shrieks, entering her Drinking state. A wide blood aura emerges, leeching the life essence of the heroes around her. Everyone began to slow down. Hayabusa, Harley, Kagura and Chou easily gets out of the situation, but the others were too far off. Alucard locks on Alice and dives straight to her to end the spell. Alice simply caught the Demon Hunter by the neck. Hayabusa tries to intervene, but Zhask's lightning bolt knocks off the remaining group.

"A simple act such as this is presented, yet you can't fight back! And you say we're divided!" Alice laughs maniacally. "And you, Alucard, foolishly dive alone! Your coming along with your friends to catch the shard are all for nothing! I'll make you suffer." The protodrake spits a fireball, but Alice swats it off. The Dominator stuns the dragon with its laser.

Layla lifts her cannon to Alice, but her stamina was fading, along with Lolita's. Bruno's legs began to weaken. They moaned in aching pain.

"They're not my friends, Alice. They never will be," Alucard clarifies.

Alice scrunched her eyebrows. "So tell me, who are they truly, in your life?" Alucard's greatsword began to glow blue from the ancient runes on it. He eyes the warping of a portal, and smiles.

"They're my family," he says bravely. "And we're coming for you."

The portal warps completely and a Molotov cocktail was thrown. Victor and the other Demon Hunters jump out of the portal with the Minotaur, fending off the surprised Ravagers and Reapers.

The Molotov cocktail bursts into flames as it hits Alice. The flame was imbued with holy water, so it hurt the Queen of the Apocalypse. Alucard broke free and Alice's Drinking mode halted.

"Took you long enough," Alucard greets Victor (who, fortunately, has some pants with proper size).

"Ol' Bane and Yi has arrived!" he replies. "The huge titan as well. This help is all we could muster for now."

"It's all we need," Hayabusa replies, now awake. "Your reserve potions will come in handy."

"Least we could do, mate. Now, let's show the uglies what we really are."

The playing field has shifted tremendously as all of the Demon Hunters rallied on the enemies, who were still in shock with the sudden outburst. Little did everyone know, Estes wasn't the one who conjured the portal.

"How were you able to get here?" Akai asks Yinsen.

"We'll get to that later," the fellow Hunter answers. "We have to drive off the monsters first before we get the shard. Let the protodrake guard it first. We'll cover you."

Minotaur led the charge, and he was not fazed by the shock attacks of the retreating Kastiyans. He raised his hammer and crushed one flat like a pancake. The beast strikes Alice hard into the air, but he knew that it would only annoy her, not deal much damage.

"They will prefer driving us off completely before grabbing the shard!" Zhask warns Vexana. "Strength in numbers, Necromancer! Do what you must."

Vexana nods, and she focuses her eyes on a fallen Hunter. She puts her hand on the forehead and whispers, "May you fight alongside me. May you never resist my call!" Instantly, the Hunter rose again, but with a green tinge on his skin.

Harley sees this, and he begins to panic. "Everybody! Don't get yourself killed! Vexana is corrupting the dead!"

"Back at you," Kagura replies. A Reaper nearly grazes her body, and she counters by pushing it back with a force wave, only to be kicked back by Chou.

"Coming in hot," Hayabusa calls. He touches Kagura again, but this time, he jumps. He slaps the body of the Reaper in mid-air to transfer the unstable power, and as it falls, it explodes, disintegrating a Nightmaric Spawn along with three of its fellow kind.

"I am getting the shard," Bruno volunteers, dashing back and forth to daze the Ravagers. "Give me cover!" He rushes to the protodrake, who wasn't willing to uncurl its massive body.

"C'mon, big guy! Give us the shard. We're gonna die out here! We won't last long!" Bruno urges, but the dragon snorts, motioning his head to Alucard, who was fighting alongside Layla and Lolita against Alice. The Protector realizes that the dragon needs to tell something.

Bruno jumps away and kicks Alice, but she regains her flight in a near-instantaneous manner. "You again!"

"What can I say? We're annoying cockroaches." Bruno launches a ricochet volleyball that hits every incoming Ravager and Reaper outside the crater. "Alucard! I'll take it from here! Talk to the dragon!"

The Demon Hunter, busy with keeping Layla safe, was confused. " _Talk_ to the dragon? Why?"

"I don't know! It wants you to get to it! Just do what I told you!"

"Fine then. Don't kill yourself." Alucard struggles from the massive battlefield, evading Kastiyan lightning bolts. Minotaur goes in front of him and knocks down the hordes. "Go, Alucard. I will be your guard."

He nods, and races for the protodrake. It raised his head with delight as it witnesses him.

"Okay, what do you want to show me? Better not be something bad." He places his demonic arm on the forehead, and a new vision surfaces.

He was high up in the clouds, but it felt too real. The moisture touched his skin, and the air was too light. He turns around, seeing a dark mass of clouds converging, with green lightning sparking everywhere. He looks down, and he sees the ground below him. The ground feels so familiar for him, and he knew why when he saw the crater from far away.

He hears the flapping of wings, and he was overcome with dread. He pulls away, ending the vision. He knew what was coming.

He knew _who_ was coming.

"Who is he?" Alucard asks the dragon. "Tell me, who is he?" The dragon shook its head, its eyes filled with fear. Alucard looked deeper, and saw a glimmer of hope in the protodrake's eyes. Would that person be what Zhask told him? The corrupted one?

And what would he do? Intervene? To whom does he side with? The Land of Dawn… or the evil?

"Should we stay longer?" he asks once more. The beast nods, but looks at the shard with worry, its tattered wings covering it.

Ruby asks, "What's wrong? The shard?"

"No," Alucard answers. "Someone is coming. I don't know who, but we have to escort the shard now via the Demon Hunters. The remaining have to stay and hold out the battle. He is approaching, Ruby. Do you trust me?"

She grips his demonic arm tightly. "You don't need to ask that question to me anymore, because I always will do so."

"Thanks. Let's get on with it."

"Sister! Focus on the puny humans! Kill them to maximize your powers, while I turn them against themselves," Vexana suggests to Alice.

Alice cackles, "What a wonderful plan, lovely! Let's end this once and for all!"

Hayabusa backs off from the fight and goes behind Minotaur, who was now in distress. Out of desperation, he slams his hammer to the earth multiple times, causing violent quakes. For some reason, this barely affected his allies.

"THEY HAVE MADE ME ANGRY!" he bellows. "THEY SHALL FEEL THE FIRE OF RAGE!" He charges once more, and the attacks were ineffective. No matter how many Reapers clawed at him, their neutralizers were of no use. However, the Son of Minos didn't go far. He knew he wouldn't survive the outcome when he overextends. Harley casts a spark rune on the charging Alice, blinding her and giving time for the Demon Hunters to fall back. They threw a couple of Molotov cocktails, attempting to burn her down, but Vexana's new ghouls were impervious, and they get overwhelmed. Hayabusa and the Minotaur couldn't hold back the wave, and they get pinned down.

"They're all too many!" Victor shouts. "Fall back! Protect the shard!" The protodrake breathes its black fire to Zhask, but he spawns the Dominator, who shot back a laser bolt. The spawn grew bigger and bigger, intensifying its beam. The protodrake's flames slowly dies out, and the beam pierces its tough armor, causing a huge ulcer-like hole on the beast's shoulder.

Lolita deactivates her shields and begins to strike the Ravagers with her hammer by instinct. Layla gets overrun by Vexana's ghouls, but she doesn't get hurt, since only the Dark Lord may give the order to Alice and the others to kill them or not, according to his pleasure.

Kagura's umbrella gets caught by a Kastiyan, leaving her unarmed. The umbrella doesn't get damaged (imbued with invincibility spells), but this confined Kagura's mobility, and a Reaper pins her down. Chou attempts to kick it off, but Zhask expels a concussive blast straight to Chou's chest, knocking him out cold.

Akai and Ruby struggle to free the others, but Alice traps them both in blood, impairing their movements. Bruno, Alucard and Harley were all that stood in the way, and they couldn't even estimate all the other remaining demons outside the crater.

"No matter what happens, the darkness shall rule!" Alice taunts them. "Why resist? This prophecy will merely claim your lives! It has sealed your fate ever since, and look at what it put you into! A world full of confusion, separation and misery! No one has willingly given a damn about you!"

Harley throws his cards, but a Ravager punches him to the shard's pedestal, breaking his leg. Bruno dashes back to the mage, but a ghoul strangles him. Alucard decapitates it, but three more ghouls finally pinned them down.

"This was all too easy from the start! I wonder why I still chose to play with you!" Alice laughs. "Still, you may have spirit, but you're not as good as the ones we fought before! They were more of a challenge than you, and they even entrapped us to their specialized bonds. And yet, we outlived them!"

" _Please,"_ Alucard thinks. _"Whoever you may be, hurry. The shard is at risk."_

Zhask walks to the pedestal, ignorant of the injured dragon, who was already whimpering. "Pfft. I have faced more powerful organisms than these weaklings. Shall we, Vexana?"

"Of course, Zhask," Vexana scoffs. "You know we're all here for you, anyway. Those shards contain pure life! Believe me, even more that you could imagine! We can't destroy them, but you can! You have a choice to keep it or destroy it. We'll leave it up to you."

"No, don't!" Layla says, trying to break free. Alice shakes her head.

"There's no saving your shard now," Alice whispers. "The prophecy is complete fallacy! I often wonder why the Lords of Order remain up there, while we, the deserving, remain in this cursed soil!"

" _Hear my prayer,"_ Alucard pleads. _"You're our only hope. We need you, whoever you are."_ He looks up in the distance, and he sees a small, yet distinct dark cloud in the view. He felt both relief and dread.

"So many eons, and the wait was all worth it!" Zhask says with glee. "This Dawn Shard you speak of, is truly magnificent! This must never be destroyed, no! It must be used for myself, to redeem it all!"

" _Thank you,"_ Alucard finalizes. As Zhask reaches for the shard, the sound of thunder boomed across the field.

"What was that?" Hayabusa asks, looking around. He sees the huge mass of swirling black clouds, joined by green lightning. The lightning was insanely extensive, and every spark lit up the sky, no matter the darkness of the clouds.

Yinsen sees Alice and Vexana, feeling nervous, which is funny, because it's the first time he saw them like that.

"No, no, no!" Alice shrieks. "How?! How does he know?!"

"Sister, we must be brave," Vexana says. "He is merely one."

"One?! It's never easy to fight him! Have you lost your mind?!" Alice says, becoming afraid. "We must escape!"

"Too late," a voice echoes, serving as the reply for Alice's words. A small whirlpool emerges in the bottom of the clouds, and the wind around the battlefield intensifies. The sky grew dark, and the sun was blotted out.

"What is all this?" Zhask asks Alice. "What is going on?"

"Our mission is foiled!" Alice screams. "Bring it on, traitor! Fight us!" She challenges the storm, and the lightning struck harder. Everyone there laid their eyes on the event. Layla saw a small blot whenever the lightning struck. It took her seconds to recognize its human form.

Suddenly, a single-edged green longsword fell from the sky, standing upright as it pierces the soil. It was filled with a flaming aura that enveloped the witnesses with fear. It had a skull crossguard, and its pommel and grip was made out of dragon hide. The blade was sharp, and showed no signs of wear and tear. After a few seconds, the human-like form descends from the storm like lightning, next to the blade, gripping it.

The figure had the same physique as the one in Alucard's vision: the bare torso, the bits of armor, the claws, the shoulderguard and the triangular horned helmet with four slits and with two wisps for eyes. He was even more fearsome in personal. (To fortify said argument, the Ravagers and Reapers, who were supposed to be mindless, began to whimper and cower, and backed off in a panic.)

He pulls out the blade from the ground and draws it, making a resounding _SHWING!_ He was all that stood from Zhask in claiming the shard, but the Planetary Dominator felt no fear, for he didn't know the imbecile who stood before him.

"Move," Zhask commanded. "Move, I said. I am here for the shard." He walks, but the black figure raises his blade and points it to the alien, not saying a single word. The Minotaur watched in awe, disbelieving what he was seeing.

"What makes you think you have the right to oppose the three of us alone?" Zhask asks. "Tell me, who are you?! What is your name?! C'mon, speak up, you monster!"

The figure remains unfazed from the insults. He lowers the blade. He replied in a resonating voice that even the Dark Lord fears hearing.

"If you wish for my name, ask them," he began, pointing at Alice and Vexana, "so that I may let my sword hear your last words."


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: The Awakening**

You guys were probably fanboying and fangirling extensively after the last chapter. Some are even asking WHY the monsters back there are so scared of our newly introduced character. I will explain that in a conversation in a future chapter.

I often lend out some morals in this story, and I am going to give out another one now. So, first off, I will ask you a simple question.

If someone has killed a loved one of yours unknowingly, will you be able to forgive that person?

Tough to answer truthfully, huh? It depends, really. Your first reaction to this will show who you really are. I don't need to expound that. Also, that event will most likely push anyone to the edge.

Here's what you should consider. Sure, a person killed someone you love, but he/she did so _unknowingly_. Take note of that. _Unknowingly._ He/she wasn't aware in any way.

Would it be easier to forgive that person? ABSOLUTELY NOT. It will just leave you conflicted. You are torn when it comes to finding a punching bag to let out your sorrow and anger.

But it won't be impossible to forgive that person. He/she was simply misled into doing what was wrong. We have to help them up and settle things right. Even the worst prisoner can be forgiven. This moral is essential for Argus' part of the story, and you can see why I have been hinting his introduction for so many times.

Speaking of which, he is a fallen angel, not a devil or demon. (That statement will be fortified in another chapter.) Sure, he fell into evil, but he was no demon. I have to clarify that statement. Argus is _not_ a demon.

But is he evil in the storyline? You'll have to find out. We are only somewhat halfway around the story.

(In order to fill in a few gaps, Roger was hiding in Grock's tower. He doesn't want to give away that he can control his curse, so he secretly fired concussive shots at the Spitfires. Also, Eudora and Gord were busy applying the energy of the going-to-be Genesys Gem. Finally, Clint and Karrie are now finding recruits in their homelands.)

Anyway, my good/evil moral also applies in religion.

(Guys, if you're racist in any way, go change your ways. Whether or not be in terms of belief, skin color, or race, go change your ways and be better.)

I don't care whether you're straight, homosexual, Christian, Catholic, Islamic, black, white, yellow or anything. Respect and be respected. Words are merely twisted. Your actions are the only truth.

Why is this moral applying to Argus as well? That will also be explained in the next chapter.

Moving on to the insane ruckus that occurred in the last chapter…

(By the way, I absolutely dislike the fact that Moonton gave Valentine Skins for Alucard and Miya. Like, do they even read the background history? The two are nothing alike. Sure, there goes the saying, "Never find the person with the same spoke as you have," but to make them paired up is downright unacceptable for me, no matter how gorgeous the skins are.)

Zhask stood in his place, glaring at the person before him. He was growing irritated, for the black figure knew not fear. And behind him, Alice and Vexana are on the edge, nervous on what will come next.

Chou forgot about struggling and stared at the swordsman. All he could think was, _"Dayum! No one has done that to Alice or Vexana, much less Zhask!"_

The alien sighed, and said, "Perhaps you don't know me." He held out his hand. "I am Zhask, the Planetary Dominator! I reap worlds, I conquer them! I take away the true essence of life, and no one has stopped me since. You're lucky for your first encounter. Why resist? You should be joining me instead, along with my new allies! C'mon now, shake my hand."

Unfortunately, the mystery man had no sense of humor as well. "I know who you are, Zhask. I don't blame you if you can't recall, but I led the group that entrapped the spirit you planted in this world… the spirit that returned to you."

Zhask laughs, but Akai can hint the nervousness he was rejecting. "And you must be the one that turned against those who took you in? Those you call… your family?" The person had no answer.

"All because of power, that has corrupted you! Look at what it did to you! You are no longer the servant of those wretched Lords up above! You're a servant of evil, and you cannot undo the millions of mass murders you have committed! Millions, which even I cannot outmatch! Why intervene in this untimely hour?!"

"Your statement merely imprints the fact that you do not know what happened to me a few decades ago," the figure said in a calm tone. "If the Devil were to make feuds with his fellow demons, the house is divided against itself, and evil will not stand. And yet, evil exists up to this day. But what makes you think I am so, when I have slain more of their kind?" He slowly tilts his head towards the Reapers and Ravagers with blazing eyes. A Ravager whimpers in terror as he flees back. The others weakly stood their ground.

" _He has killed demons as well? That's too insane, dude. This is some top tier power right there,"_ Bruno thought. _"And the blade… the meters are off the charts! The readings can't get a limit! And the man, he seems too familiar. I just can't remember who he was!"_

"Zhask, stop negotiating!" Vexana cries out. "Believe me, you can't fight him alone!"

Bruno couldn't control the urge to yell due to the hype. "Yeah, you better run! That dude's gonna whoop yo-"

The Reaper slowly scratches its claws at Bruno's face. The Protector yelps, and the black figure immediately points his sword at the monster, and the demon had no choice but to stop.

"These children do not deserve these fates," he began. "I may not be the one to blame for this, but I am here to protect them. It's my moral obligation. If you dare lay your skin on them, you know what will happen to you. And I swear, there will be no prisoners anymore." He draws the blade down, and he tilts his head to Alucard, who was trying to break free. The Demon Hunter glimpsed the hint of humility beyond the flaming wisps. Everyone was shocked, because they knew that the figure had some sort of relation to Alucard's past.

Alice took this as a chance to taunt the person. "It was all your fault to begin with, traitor! Admit it! If you haven't saved him from the caverns, he would've been living a better, happier life!"

"As your worthless minion? You have the bravery to degrade my will, and yet you are too scared to speak my name!" The figure hissed, the aura growing stronger. "I have reclaimed my memories, Alice, and the Dark Lord won't deceive me anymore! I did not cause all these deaths! I may have senselessly wielded the blade, but your master was the architect of my former evil! I may not undo the past, but I can carve the future with my renewed insight. So whatever you do… BACK OFF!"

Six black wings sprouted from the back of the figure, and he began to float in mid-air, his eyes blazing like wildfires. "If you're as strong as you say, then face me! Even I cannot believe that you truly feared a shrapnel of my identity, no matter how small it is, for you bore the scars I dealt with my sword!" The storm grew worse, and the wind was blowing hard like strong gales. The Dawn Shard remained intact, while the heroes covered their eyes. The Ravagers and Reapers clamored, and the Kastiyans began to fear as well.

Alice unfurled her wings and hovered as well. "Silence, you fool! What makes you think we cannot stand up against you after all these millennia?"

"Your arrogance shall be your undoing, and it shall be your downfall."

" _Solid burn, returned,"_ Harley thought. _"Something is up. We have to coordinate the surprise at the same time."_ He glances at Lolita, who was thinking the same thing. The heroes glanced at each other and nodded lightly. They patiently waited for the cue to strike.

"We shall see about that… Argus!" Vexana challenges. "Ghouls, attack! Let the Ravagers and Reapers restrain the heroes."

" _Argus? It cannot be…"_ Hayabusa was dumbfounded. _"The Blade of Despair… I knew it! Why was his name forgotten throughout time?! After so long, he remains! This… is borderline impossible."_

" _Argus… That's not possible! How does he still exist? He has killed generations of Demon Hunters!"_ Victor thought. _"Why have him as an ally?!"_

Alucard's mind raced as he received the multiple mixed reactions of his fellow friends. Yet, he kept calm, warning everyone about their cue.

The first Ghoul charges at Argus, but the swordsman never flinched. As the Ghoul reaches the dark aura, the corpse disintegrates into ash.

"My recollection has made me weaker, but that will not matter," the fallen angel proclaims. "I wish no conflict, but I shall do what I must."

Ruby simply stared at what was formerly the feral Ghoul that once threatened to rip her flesh. She remained motionless, anticipating the moment to strike. The Little Red Hood sees Hayabusa blink every second, and everyone was watching him. He slowly lowers his back, and suddenly jumps, instantly teleporting to the nearby Reaper and threw his shurikens, feigning his paralysis.

All at once, the heroes broke free from the monsters' grasps, who were momentarily surprised by Hayabusa's escape. After a few seconds, the Ravagers that held them were merely lifeless corpses.

Alice, Vexana and Zhask held together. The alien tightly gripped his spear and cast his first lightning bolt at Argus. The angel suddenly began to sprint, deflecting the projectile to a charging Kastiyan, blowing its head off. The Ravagers and Reapers suddenly amassed and crowded the swordsman, slowing his chase. The antagonists fell back, but didn't retreat.

"We may not have the shard, but it would satisfy me if I kill at least one of these bastards!" Zhask cried out. He summons the Nightmaric Spawn, targeting Argus. The protodrake exhales black fire and burns the summoned unit to a crisp. The other Demon Hunters easily struggled free, dealing a frenzied rampage at the Kastiyans. Fewer casualties were received by the Demon Hunters, but they held their ground, remembering their primary mission.

"Estes cannot conjure the portal without risking the Land of Dawn's internal structures. He cannot go out to deploy it as well. We need to drive the enemies back!" Pique, Victor's 2nd assistant, suggests.

"Men, hold your ground! Slay any demon that comes close! Put your back behind the protodrake if necessary!" Victor shouts. "Our first objective is to recover the Dawn Shard, not fight. Let our heroes do the job."

Argus remained untouchable, mowing down the increasing hordes of Ravagers and Reapers. The monsters were barely able to hit him, and if they did, it didn't seem like the warrior was even _caring._

Argus bursts into flames for a few seconds, fending off the monsters in his vicinity. "These are the obstacles you put in my way? Then you have already lost the war!"

"Let me shut you up!" Alice dives straight to Argus with multiple blood orbs, converging at the fallen angel. Argus' aura diminished the projectiles, but the remainder struck him point blank, and yet, Argus was barely fazed. Alice slammed her body into the angel, scratching her elongated claws. Layla shoots the airborne vampire down, hoping to at least annoy her at any point. Vexana releases multiple ghastly grips at any who came close, but they were easily dodged.

Alice suddenly turned her head at the marksman and hissed, jumping straight to her. Chou concentrated his chi on his legs and roundhouse-kicks Alice to the air, following it up with a shadowless barrage of kicks and punches, a move he was able to master after learning it accidentally from the previous sparring matches.

"I can not hurt you, but this will bite!" Chou yells, speeding his attacks even faster. He lets go, and Argus leaps, slicing the Apocalypse Queen with his meteoric blade. However, Alice balls up, protecting herself with her wings. The blade easily cuts through them, spilling blood everywhere. Unfortunately, Alice's body was intact without a scratch.

"You will pay for that!" Alice charges again, but instantly diverts her path to leap at Harley, who was busy throwing his flaming cards. Hayabusa teleports, pushing Harley off, but he gets caught in the leap. Before Alice could scratch him down, Akai spins, whacking the Queen with his staff. Kagura helps the ninja up, preventing too much physical contact.

"I am aiming for bug face," Hayabusa points at Zhask. "Let's try and not make a volatile burst here. We have to get close without getting in the way of his minions."

"I am going for Ms. Ugly," Bruno calls out. "Let's see if she can catch me with her ghost hands."

"I am helping Minotaur up. Alucard, get Argus," Lolita commands. "Ruby, help Bruno and Kagura. Keep the monsters occupied. We don't know how long this battle will last, but with our unexpected ally, the tables would have immediately turned."

"Nice plan. Let's drive off some bastards," Alucard replies. He runs to Argus, who was still busy decimating the Ghouls and Kastiyans with his blade.

"What are you doing here?" the swordsman asked. "You need to fend for yourself, Alucard! Attend to your friends."

Alucard answered, "After all these years, I have met the person who directly interfered during my past for the very first time. I may not know what you truly did, but I'd want to return the favor."

"If you say so, Hunter. I will fend off Alice and Zhask. You take care of the other monsters. Don't use your other arm," Argus warns, glancing at Alucard's demonic hand. "Let time decide."

" _What does that mean? Let time decide?!"_ Before Alucard could speak, Argus pulls out a long chain which launched his left hand, letting it clamp on the flying vampire. The chain locks in place, letting Argus restrain Alice at some point.

Minotaur rises up quickly, shaking off the neutralizing agents from the Reaper's claws. He bellows, fortifying his rage. "Bless my hammer! The fallen angel has come to intervene!"

"What a lovely day." The Demon Hunter expressed with total sarcasm and flips to the demon horde. The greatsword causes a shockwave that knocks down the monsters with a gale. Akai jumps into action, whacking the Ravagers with surprising agility.

"I know, quick for a fatty like me, huh? Ask that later," Akai grins. "Watch out, Ghoul coming at you." Alucard turns around, but the Ghoul came at him in pieces, because Hayabusa took care of it.

"I am feeling too greedy for kills now," the ninja whispers. "Can't beat Argus, though. I have to admit, I am feeling doubts."

"I understand," Alucard comforts. "Let's fight off the uglies before our touching chats. This is getting boring."

The other Demon Hunters huddled around the protodrake, who was clawing at the Reapers coming close to the Dawn Shard. At the same time, it blows its black fire to the arising Nightmaric Spawns that Zhask was deploying. The alien leader also began to launch a line of stationary bugs that often trip the heroes unnoticed. Kagura falls victim, but Harley catches her, letting the female mage teleport in time to save Akai from a Kastiyan. She throws her umbrella at Vexana and her mass of Ghouls and yells, "Shogyo Mugyo!"

Lolita raises her hammer, and the KAIROS-42 hammer grew bright, and an orange conical outline can be clearly seen, forming around the demonic swarm. The demons slowed down and yelped, unable to break free. The Noumenon Energy Core has also slowed down their movements. Layla steps in, charging her cannon. Chou kicks Zhask at the range of the blast zone in time, stunning the Kastiyan to his knees.

"Here comes the… BOOM, BABY!" Lolita cheers as she slams the hammer down, causing a concentrated shockwave within the outline. The mass went airborne, and Layla slowly aims her fully charged weapon and releases the energy at full blast, incinerating the Ghouls and Kastiyans. At the same time, the Umbrella forces the splitting mass to converge once more at the exact moment Layla's cannon fades out. Kagura instantly teleports to the Umbrella and forces back the Ghouls and Kastiyans again, and they were nothing but dust. Vexana and Zhask was able to protect themselves with magical barriers, but the onslaught was too much, and they could barely move. The Demon Hunters threw their Molotov cocktails and shot arrows at the monsters, slightly advancing forward.

"I… won't leave!" Zhask utters. "I won't die out… without a fight!" He spawns three Nightmaric Spawns at the same time and aims it at Lolita, but she nullifies the ranged attack with her shield. However, the shield began to deteriorate, and she was forced to deflect it off instead. The laser deflected to Bruno, but he dashed quickly, so the laser hit a Ravager in the process. Zhask aims the laser at Kagura, but Hayabusa pushes her off in time, and touches Alice, causing another massive reaction. Streaks of light marked the ninja's movement, and Argus was able to put down the vampire.

Upon seeing Argus, the alien leader fixates the beam at him. The fallen angel stabs the sword to the ground and gripped it tightly with both hands. The Nightmaric Spawns grew slowly, intensifying the attack. Argus' aura bursts into green flames, and his six wings protruded from his back, fully extended.

"You fight alongside your allies, yet you have no honor! I fight alone against you! Face me, you coward!" Argus taunts.

"I don't have time for you, traitor. However, I won't let a special someone of yours come back in one piece." Zhask launches a lightning bolt at Argus, but it suddenly curves and hits Alucard point blank at the chest, pushing him to the pedestal in mid-air, breaking his left arm. The Demon Hunter groans in pain as the Nightmaric Spawn held their combined laser at him, and the greatsword was out of reach. Chou attempts to knock down the Spawns, but Alice charges at him and claws him down. Chou dashes around and around, but fatigue began to overcome him.

"Alucard, no!" the Kung Fu boy yells, desperately struggling from Alice's frenzy. Vexana's Ghouls minimalized the Demon Hunter clan's area, preventing them from helping Alucard. Harley jumps in but makes a mistake, as Zhask's underground bugs forces him to trip, and a Reaper paralyzes him. Minotaur whacks Vexana off, sending her flying to the crater's edge, but the Ravagers claws at the beast with insane speed.

"Alucard! Use it now!" Argus orders, fighting off Alice, who was in her Drinking state. "It's your only chance!"

Alucard reaches for the greatsword and tries to call it with his mind, but the immense pain from the laser prevented him from doing so. His vision began to blur.

Ruby hooks Alice, but forgot about her Drinking state. Alice slaps Ruby to the ground, setting her unconscious.

The other heroes were pinned down and holding their ground, hopelessly watching Alucard getting blasted by the lasers. Zhask laughs maniacally, celebrating too early just because he pins down the Demon Hunter.

(Yes, you heard me right. The BOI himself celebrated too early.)

As Alucard's sight fades, he gets jarred into a dream.

It was like before, when he held Ruby's hand at the library. He was in a lit room, and inside the room was a baby cradle. A grown man walks into the room with a smile on his face.

"Oh, look who's here!" A young woman, seemingly in her 20s, hugs and kisses the man who recently entered. "He misses you a lot," she says, glancing at the baby.

The man smiles, and he carries the infant and lets it cuddle on his chest. "The little boy misses me? Aww, why? Don't be too gloomy! I will always be here to protect you, no matter what! I won't let you down, my little Lumos."

A sharp pang hits Alucard's head, followed with a soothing feeling in his heart.

" _Lumos… lumos is light… It's light! What's this feeling… The pain… I… Light…"_

" _You are him. You are the one deformed of physique, yet pure of heart,"_ a distant voice calls out in the darkness. _"You are him, and he is you. Do what you came here to do. Embrace the past. Change the future! You are my son, and I will always be with you."_

" _Who are you? Never in my life did I see you! Why did you abandon me when I needed you?!" Alucard yelled, tearing up. "My half-sister… all she knew that your name was Leinster, but you lied! You faked your identity… All I wanted was a peaceful life… Where were you?! Where?!"_

" _My son… I never left. Never did, never will. I love you, Lumos. You are light. Even use sadness as fuel to light the way. The world needs you. Your sacrifice won't be in vain…"_

Suddenly Alucard's eyes opened, and he couldn't feel the beam assault from Zhask. Argus stares at the pinned Demon Hunter, and realizes that Alucard's eyes flowed with a red mist.

"You have done it," Argus whispers, still locked down by Alice's Drinking state, who was still clawing at Chou.

"You… will… not stop… won't you? Just for some damn essence…" Alucard says weakly at Zhask.

"What did you say?" the alien barked.

"If so…"

The greatsword glows blue with bright light, the runes being emphasized. It levitates slowly and spins, and the runes immediately became red. The greatsword stops spinning. Vexana notices this and tries to grab it with her ghostly grip, but the greatsword repels it.

"If so, I… WILL STOP YOU MYSELF!" The weapon swiftly flies at Alucard's right arm, and a loud hum resonates through the field. In a matter of a few milliseconds, without minding the beams, Alucard quickly rose and swiped outward with his sword, casting a large fission wave that overcomes the Nightmaric Spawns' lasers and cuts their bodies down in half. The other Ravagers and Reapers caught in the range were eviscerated, and the heroes in the vicinity had their injuries suddenly healed. Alucard's formerly dislocated arm was back in place. Red smoke rose forth from the blade, and Alucard slowly walks at the shocked alien leader. Argus folds his wings back, feeling relaxed after the onslaught. When he eyes Alucard, he diverts his attention to the other monsters, leaving the Demon Hunter to attend to Zhask.

"What are you doing? Charge!" Alice says, but Chou kicks out of her frenzy and dodges off, rushing to give the Demon Hunter some space to retaliate. The Kastiyans and Ghouls attack the Demon Hunter with their concentrated projectiles.

"I am done with games. I AM DONE WITH IT ALL!" Alucard blocks his body with the sword, and the projectiles were immediately nullified, yet the Kastiyans kept attacking. The Ghouls claws at Alucard, but the immense red aura prevented them from going further, for it was kinetically repelling them. Alucard spins with his sword, slashing down Vexana's puppets and locks at Zhask, raising his blade.

"If you think killing is always better than giving mercy, then let me give you a taste of your own medicine!" Alucard dashes to Zhask's location, but Zhask deflects the attack with his staff. Surprisingly, a part of the staff was chipped off, and Zhask had no choice but to flee.

"Who are you?!" Zhask asks in terror. "You're no human! You're a monster!"

"Says who, imbecile?! WHO? ANSWER ME!" The Demon Hunter kept his assault at Zhask, never minding the other monsters behind him. Zhask hastily climbs up the crater, but Alucard grabs his leg, tripping him. He casts another destructive fission wave that kills more than half of the monsters in his trail, and his allies kept themselves busy by killing off the others.

Vexana intervenes by casting an implosive trap, but Alucard flips upward and changes his focus to the Necromancer. She realized that Alucard's mystic power is rivalling that of her defensive aura, so she falls back. Alice teleports to the Demon Hunter with her Blood Orb, but this was anticipated, which led Alucard to grabbing the Apocalypse Queen by the neck, slamming her to the ground. He proceeds to stomp her face, but she blinks out and focuses her Drinking state at Alucard. The Demon Hunter remains unfazed as he fought the three antagonists AT THE SAME TIME, spinning around and slashing with his sword whenever he can, simultaneously deflecting their attacks and backfiring them.

(If this doesn't make you scream at the top of your lungs with the immense hype, I don't know what will.)

"The boy has grown too strong!" Alice shrieks. "We must retreat!"

The remaining enemies scattered around the field, climbing the crater in a panic. The protodrake torches Zhask, knocking him down. Alucard, completely merciless, continued the onslaught until his aura began to dissipate. Seeking a chance to retaliate, Alice goes full offensive. Alucard leaps away and casts the final fission wave. The villains catch the full force of the wave, and Zhask's staff shatters. Vexana and Alice break their bones, and the Apocalypse Queen's wings were tattered. Defeated, they hurried to the edge of the crater, avoiding the projectiles of Bruno and Layla. The heroes began to cheer, but were taken aback to the fact that their injuries have healed already.

"AND STAY OUT!" Alucard threatens, his voice booming across the field. He had a demonic voice, but his emotions were under control. A voice in his consciousness whispered at him.

" _You have shown them who you truly are. It's time to pause, and know your origins for now. I am proud of you, my son. I always am. Never forget that."_

And suddenly, the Demon Hunter's knees buckled, and he collapsed.

Meanwhile…

(Aw, guess who's disappointed. I had to switch the topic to cover the occurrences, though. Even so, I assumed you were going ballistic as you were reading the last… um… wait, let me check…

2,000 words? Yeah, seems like it. Anyway, my full story document has now amassed 349 pages while writing here, if, following a novel book's format. Also, we're still halfway through the story.

" _Wait… so you're saying… that it's just half the complete story?!"_

Yes, and lots more stuff goes on in the next few chapters. I can't promise you anything… only one thing.

Love.

Once more, prepare. Don't worry, I am always here, the incognito narrator, ready to laugh and cry alongside you.)

 _*No intentional creepy stuff back there. XD_

"Will Saber be alright?" Fanny asks, rubbing her scratched arm.

"He'll be fine, Fanny. We've already constructed a specialized set of schematics for his new upgrades, in case his old body is out of commission," Alpha replies. "And besides, Johnson, Beta and I will be on standby alongside him. Though, I can't guarantee you will see him inside our medical bays. The schematics are classified." Suddenly, Alpha feels a light headache, but since this was his first time to experience one, he slowly backs to the nearby wall in the citadel.

"Woah, are you okay? Should I call out someone?" the flyer asks, worried.

"No, no, it's fine, it's just a headache," the cyborg says, standing up easily. "I have a bit of a bad gut feeling. I don't like it, but amidst it is a table turner."

"What do you mean?"

"The other convoy for the 4th shard. A lot of happenings occurred, and I realized something weird. Remember that Estes was busy helping out the naval ships?"

"Yeah. So?"

"The Demon Hunters volunteered to help out the 4th convoy via portal, yet I haven't seen Estes conjure one since. My readings also fortify the fact that the portal was conjured in the place where the shard is."

Fanny's eyes widened. "No one from the convoy could conjure the portal."

"That's true. I am sensing that a new ally has arrived… a powerful one, but he or she has to be a mage."

(FYI, Argus didn't make that portal. Alucard did. More specifically, the greatsword.)

"I hope you're right. Though, I can't help but think that we already have more than enough for the job."

"Me too, then I have to come to the fact that we're outnumbered by 1 soldier to face 10 demons."

"WHAT?!"

"Hey, we're not here to slay all of the demons. Our job is to protect the Genesys Gem for a week before it does its work."

The citadel gates open and Roger, Lancelot and Odette get inside. The hunter puffed a fresh cigar while the lovers were already making out.

"Um, Roger? The smoking booths are at the upper floor balconies," Alpha hints. "And you two, get a room!" He points at the lovers, laughing. They responded by hurrying up the staircase.

"I understand, kiddo. If you need anything, I'll be by the second floor." Roger climbs up the other staircase.

Fanny sighs, shaking her head. "How do these people even have time for love, anyway?"

Alpha tries to hold back his snickers, remembering what he saw earlier in the day. "Multitasking. Anyway, let's have a breath of fresh air, see what the others are doing."

The pair exits the palace and goes to the training grounds. However, no one was sparring, and a few people were there. Alpha accidentally bumps into a small kid. The child smiles and waves at him, and runs back to his mother, who was glaring at the cyborg. Alpha scrunched his eyebrows, and enhanced his hearing.

"What are you doing? I told you to keep up! Don't come near to them!" the woman said, scolding her son.

"They're not bad! Why must we stay away? They're good! They do awesome stuff! He's the robot who goes _Pew! Pew!_ at the creepy uglies with this cute-"

"No matter what, stay away from them! They're dangerous! They shouldn't be here."

The kid makes a sour face and looks away from his mother and whispers to himself. "I sometimes ask myself if you even deserve their protection."

Alpha deactivates his sensors, feeling sad. He pitied the kid, who was so cute and innocent. That kid was fighting for their name, and yet their parents, the adults, were all seeing the bad sides. He sighed, and rushes back to Fanny. Before he does, he eyes Estes, exiting from the harbor.

"Estes, is there anything you need?"

"The 4th shard is secure. I will conjure a portal to pick them up. You may join the Royal Guard if you like," said the Elven King.

"It's alright. I will maintain my patrols with- wait, where's Fanny?"

Freya flies into the chat, landing gently. "She already flew to the walls for daily check-up. Estes, I'll go with you. The others will attend to the naval ships and the former convoy."

"Thank you for the help. I have a bad feeling about the unexpected turn of events there," Estes said heavily. "These past few days, things are rotating back to normal. A few casualties, but none we have to worry too much. But my mind nags to me about something else."

"Something sinister?" Freya asks.

"I've felt it too, guys," Alpha adds. "Guess I'll have to join you as well."

"That settles it. Let's rendezvous with Tigreal near the citadel. Freya, you don't need to join me. Resume your aid to the naval ships. You may return to me if you're done." Freya nods humbly and flies off to the docks.

They walk back, and see the gilded knight with a dozen Royal Navy, clad in their white armor with gold outlines. Alpha remembers that they were often calm, guarding the throne like mannequins. It's the first time he saw them being restless, whispering to each other. Luckily, it's not gossip about the heroes, but rather, something about an ancient evil. Alpha couldn't catch their words, but their tone hinted their worry.

"Shall we go, my lord?" Tigreal asks.

"Before that, where is Natalia?"

"She's in the med bays to patch up an injury of hers. She'll return to the homes later."

Estes answers back, "It's best to know the welfare of our beloved, knight. Let's hurry now. Dread has begun to overcome us."

Estes conjures the portal in front of them, but due to the interference of the magical cloaks around the crater, they couldn't at least see what's on the other side of the portal.

"The magic barriers are deteriorating the visual, but not the transmission," Alpha reminds. "We'll be fine." The group walks to the portal and gets warped to the other side. When Estes gets a clear view, he felt both shock and relief.

The relief part? The shard was secure. The protodrake he predicted was there, guarding it. He was slightly confused, because the beast's scars had already faded. When he looks to the left…

The shock part? The Demon Hunters and the other heroes were clamoring, trying to wake up an unconscious Alucard. Estes takes note of the greatsword which gave off a light yet visible red aura. He looks up and sees a black figure with a green sword, which he recognizes as Argus. As he saw the fallen angel, Estes never grimaced or felt fear. He remained calm without the slightest feeling of dread.

For he knew he would arrive anyway.

Argus descends slowly, his black wings flapping around. "Estes. It has been too long." He genuflects, pointing the sword down to the ground. The Royal Navy immediately revealed their spears and aimed them at the fallen angel. Estes signals them to draw the weapons back, and nods at Argus.

"I knew you would be here. However, I don't think anyone in the Land of Dawn would be eager to see you, except your sister, Rafaela."

"That is to be expected," Argus says with a sigh. "Don't attend to me. The boy needs much more attention. It has been a few minutes, and he hasn't got up yet. Send your Royal Navy to escort the shard. The protodrake will then follow your stead.

The beast huffs black smoke from its nostrils and lowers its head, bowing at the Elven King.

"No, no, no!" Ruby, who regained consciousness after Alucard's sudden rampage, was panicking as she saw him down and out. She shook his shoulders, but they were of no effect.

Chou suggested, "What if I slap him again? It worked before, right?" Lolita whacks his head lightly with her hammer.

"That's not how it works, dummy!" Akai scolds. "Everytime Alucard goes unconscious, he often has a relapse! He's probably having visions."

"No, he isn't." Estes walks to the group, and everyone bows. "He's truly asleep, and there is no telling when he'd wake up. No matter how hard you try. Don't fear, he shall wake soon. Can you explain what happened earlier?"

Bruno suddenly pushed Harley aside, who was about to raise his hand. "Estes, would it be alright if I told it my way?"

"Sure." Ruby stopped her yelling, and was suddenly intrigued.

"Oh no," Layla says, putting her hand on her face. "Here he goes again…"

Bruno began to start his entertaining narrative.

"Okay, so we all went to find this shard in some boring plain, right? And then, Kagura nearly falls to the edge of this wide as hell crater! We see this bone-chilling buddy of ours here (he points to the protodrake) and it was all like, _'RAWR! I AM THE ONE WHO GUARDS THIS SHARD, AND HE WHO COMES CLOSER SHALL BE ROASTED LIKE BARBECUES!'_ but we weren't up for that, so Alucard suddenly reads the thing's mind, and he was like, _"Someon's coming. Someone dangerous. We have to get the shard now."_ Gotta admit, I was all like, 'Really, nigga?' but then Alice, Vexana, and Cockroach Man comes into the scene. Yet, they kept arguing, and we flamed their butts with leet words, boy! And then there was this awesome teamwork, me kicking my soccer balls around, while Kagura and Hayabusa randomly touching at times, and they release the violet explosions like fireworks on Independence Day! Akai even squished a poor Ravager! That's so going to-"

"FOCUS!" Victor reminds, impatient. "Just get it over with."

"Jeez, you broke the thunder," Kagura responded. "It was adding up suspense!"

"It's okay, let me continue!" Bruno said.

"Where was I again? Ah, when Akai crushed the Ravager like a pancake! That was too insane, man. But suddenly, Zhask's bugs suddenly began to pop out. That's so unfair, man! Not even big boy Minotaur would be able to hold them off singlehandedly! But then, the most hype thing happened! Holy mozzarella on my pizza tonight, I just saw the most insane entrance I've ever seen, like, DUDE! HOW?! Before Bug Face reaches for the glowsti- I mean, Dawn Shard, the clouds darkened and there's this huge windy storm! Then this sharp longsword suddenly landed to the ground blocking Zhask, and was fully erect! And then, DUDE. THIS BLACK FIGURE SUDDENLY LANDED ON THE GROUND AND EVERYONE WAS AFRAID, MAN! EVERYONE! THOSE KASTIYAN WEAKLINGS WERE WHIMPERING! The dude was like, _"Ask for my name from these two limp noodles so that my sword can hear last your words."_ THAT'S SO LOWKEY SAVAGE DUDE! AND EVEN IF THEY WERE LANDING SOME INSULTS THEY ALWAYS BACKFIRE! AND WHEN HE FOUGHT THE DEMONS SINGLE-HANDEDLY? YOOOOOOOOO!"

The whole group was laughing out loud, though Tigreal simply smiled. "Go on, Bruno."

"Okay, okay, wait, gotta catch my breath. Okay… YOOOOOOOO! And then we got the upper hand! We were wrecking the team, until the coward cockroach instantly summons THREE OF HIS MINIONS. THREE! HOW UNFAIR IS THAT?! THEY BEGAN TO GROW AND THEY WERE ALL AIMING THEIR LASERS AT ALUCARD! I THOUGHT WE WERE TOO LATE, THEN SUDDENLY, THE GREATSWORD THAT WAS FAR AWAY FROM HIM BEGAN TO LEVITATE, AND MY BOY WAS LIKE, _"If you won't stop… I'LL DO SO MYSELF!"_ AND THE GREATSWORD FLIES TO HIM AND HE LAUNCHES THIS HUGE RED WAVE AND DECIMATES THE HORDE, YO! AND HE CHARGES OFF BY HIMSELF AND TAKES ON BOTH ALICE, ZHASK, AND VEXANA AT THE SAME TIME AND HE WAS DESTROYING THEIR A-"

"CALM DOWN!" Alpha suddenly shouted. "Beta told me that you're nearly out of breath." The group's laughter increases. Akai nearly trips on a nearby rock.

"AND THEY RAN OFF LIKE THE COWARDS THEY ARE! And I guess you all know the other parts of the story," Bruno heaved at last, and he sits down on the ground, catching his breath. The group cheers at Bruno with a standing ovation. However, Layla was being sarcastic.

"I heard the boy's prayer," Argus says. "You were a bit lucky, per se."

"Why did you return?" Hayabusa asks in a grave tone. "Not that I don't trust you. I can sense no form of deception in your words. We're just having a few rough days."

"If you have listened to Alice, you would have known already."

"Wait, did she say you saved Alucard?" Yinsen barges in. "Saved him from what?"

"If I didn't pull him out of those caverns, he wouldn't be standing in this crater as one of your allies. It will be better to explain everything when he is already conscious," Argus suggests. "The welfare of the shard is our first priority. You have sufficient mages to coalesce the Gem's power. I assure you, I can be trusted."

"That doesn't deny the fact that you've killed thousands from my clan, traitor!" Victor yells in a fit. He runs to punch Argus, but Pique and the others struggled to keep him off. "How many souls are trapped within your sword? Millions?!"

"They've already been freed," the fallen angel explains. "Why do you think I haven't killed you yet?"

Estes adds, "Argus has already regained his memories, but at a great cost. His power has begun to diminish, but he still proves as a formidable foe against the forces of the Dark Lord."

"Oh, don't tell me you've been contacting him for ages, Estes!" the clan leader scoffed. "You wouldn't have been able to arrange all of this by yourself!"

"True. That's why my sister was the communications bridge."

Lolita looks at the fallen angel, shocked. "Now I get it. You cannot come to the Land of Dawn before, but Rafaela can. She's also the only one who can talk to you!"

Argus nods. "Your insight serves you well, Steel Elf. Victor, calm down. Nothing will change the past. I can only make up to all of you in the near future."

"We must hurry now to the Land of Dawn. Escort Alucard safely and bring in the protodrake," Estes orders. "We have a lot of adjustments to accomplish."

Minotaur carried the unconscious Demon Hunter, while the others beckoned the protodrake to join them. As Estes conjures a wide portal, the whole group gets to the other side. Immediately, the protodrake unfurled its wings and started to fly.

"Oh, that's gonna cause a lot of panic…" Harley mutters.

Fanny flies into the scene and lands near them. "Hello, my L- Wait… what on earth is that?" She points high in the sky, where the protodrake was circling around.

"Long story," Ruby answered. "Talk later."

A few hundred Royal Guards were also in the scene to escort the shard to the other mages. Layla, exhausted, sat down the steps of the citadel entrance, resting her cannon.

"He'll be alright, Layla," Chou says to her. "What can't our fellow Demon Hunter do? And besides, everybody is here!"

"Not everybody," Harley barges. "I have an idea."

Meanwhile…

"Trouble always comes around, Alpha."

Saber, Alpha and Johnson were in their personal medical room, applying Saber's new schematics. The cyborg was stuck in repair, so his internal frame was his only physical form. His A.I., however, was injected to the cyborg's databases and computer screens.

"I know, Saber. But, have you thought of how to preserve all this messy history?"

"Not yet," the A.I. responded. "However… I do have one risky plan. With my new schematics, it could work."

"Don't go overboard," Johnson warns. "You said so yourself. Yet, you risked your life for Fanny."

"I am not letting one of my fellow companions die out that easily. I can be brought back to life. She can't. As soon as she touches the water, the serpents will devour her in an instant."

"But still, you're our family. We can't risk losing you again," Alpha answers sadly. "Not like before…"

"Never dwell in the past, Alpha," Johnson says, fiddling with his wrench. "You can't change it anymore."

"Beta would already be happy when she sees you fulfilling her promise," Saber says enthusiastically. "I assure you."

"But… it's impossible. To have such a peaceful life. I can't keep that promise."

"Be glad you're trying, to say the least. At least she knows what you're doing for her. She's considerate, my friend. Unlike most girls, she sees your effort, even if she's not here with us."

Alpha smiled weakly at Saber's statement. "Always the same swordsmaster, huh?"

The trio chuckles, and Alpha and Johnson resumes forging Saber's new body. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Alpha answers by slowly opening the door.

Alucard's friends were all there. However, Harley joined them. They were all looking away from the inside.

Alpha closes the door behind them. "What can I do for you?"

"Harley has some weird idea," Bruno answers.

"Okay, I have a relative of mine that we could bring in this place. She could be of some help to us," Harley starts. "I'd need somebody to set the correct timeline, and there's no proper person except you guys."

"Harley, the Dark Lord has locked down all the time frames. We're all stuck here," Lolita adds. "What makes you think we could bring in this person of interest?"

"The Genesys Gem has been undergoing the third phase of its formation. In the third phase, interdimensional travel will be enhanced, but with the Dark Lord's restraints, we cannot specify the exact trajectory. What we'd have to do is to jump from world to world to get there, and back here."

"I can help you," Alpha says. "But we'd have to apply another piece of schematics on Saber before I could. To speed up the process, I'd have to recruit Bruno and Lolita."

"Consider it done," Chou replies. "They knew you'd say that."

"Wait," Layla interrupts. "Harley, who's this person you're talking about?"

"Oh, it's my big sister. And she's an awesome sniper."

Meanwhile…

Minotaur, Hayabusa, Kagura and Akai was done prepping Alucard in the med bay for observation. Ruby was in charge for checking him, while the former will inform the others of Estes' arrival. They've made it to the docks, where the others were helping out. Eudora and Gord have also got a breath of fresh air, helping the crewmen lift precious cargo with their kinetic grips.

"Guys, roll call!" Akai yells. "Come here!" He beckons the other heroes to converge, leaving the crewmen to pull off the small bit of cargo by themselves. They thanked the heroes before they left.

"Balmond, Hilda, Cyclops, Nana, Miya, Zhao, Freya, Gatot, Grock, Hylos, Bane, Sun, Lapu… Yeah, they're all here," Hayabusa counted. "Okay, how do we begin?"

"Grock wants to know cause of commotion," the stone titan requests. "Something bad?"

"Well, Estes wants to meet you all for a bit of… uhm… an introduction of sort," Kagura replies.

"Introduction?" Balmond asks, puzzled. "Whose?"

"You may not like him, but I am not one to give out details," Akai sniffs out. "I assure you, he's on our side."

"What have we to fear, when he is an ally?" Yi Sun Shin questions. "If he was a former nemesis of ours, it's only right that we give him refuge for the weeks to come."

"I agree," Karrie barges.

"So do I," Miya says. "You really won't spill out the name, would you?"

"Estes believes that it would be better if you meet him personally. I trust that you would accept him," Minotaur huffs. "In my opinion, he'll be able to get along with you."

Cyclops brings out his hourglass and peers into the near future. All he could see was… riots. Riots and complaints everywhere… and a black horned figure with a green longsword. He immediately cancelled the vision, but many knew that he saw something.

"Heya, what did you see?" Nana asked innocently.

"Um… uh, nothing! Just the same things… that's all," Cyclops pretended to feel fine, and the others purposely took that excuse to avoid pressuring the mage.

"May we go now?" Eudora asks. "Let's break the tension."

 _Yeah, the tension will just get worse…_ Hayabusa thought to himself. _I trust that Argus won't make much of a commotion._

The heroes walk out of the docks and into the front of the citadel. While so, the nearby people who saw them mostly gave off dirty looks at them, and some of the kids stayed away. Those who did get near them often asked for a high five or a hug, but their parents whisked them away before they got too close.

"They're having doubts," Franco mutters to Bane. "I have a bad feeling about all this."

"I worry much more about Aurora," the Pirate Lord replies. "After what that boy did… she hasn't fully recovered. I hope she considers joining us, even with a little back-up. My crew is fine, however."

Lapu-Lapu barges in the conversation, his twin blades hung low. "This place is enchanting! My men should've ventured to the seas long ago."

"It's not too late for progress," Gatotkaca replies cheerfully. "If we succeed, our goals can be attended to. I will go back to my realm after this, but the memories shall last, my brothers."

Rafaela couldn't easily hold in the dread she felt. Her heart was growing heavy.

"I know who it is," Freya told her. "But it's alright. I have faith."

"So, who is it?" Zhao asks. "C'mon, you can just say it to us personally."

"Best you see him yourself, Yun. There's no other way." Rafaela said nothing more.

As they reached the front, Estes, along with Tigreal and a few of the Royal Guard, were waiting for them.

"Estes, what's going on?" Miya asks, bowing. "Everybody has grown nervous."

"Everyone, I know that this is untimely, but I've requested your presence for the time being. We have a new ally, but due to the lack of information presented a while ago, you're not familiarized with him. I pray that you, at some point, would accept him," Estes began.

"Wait, where is he?" Karina questions the Elven King, looking around. "I don't see him." Rafaela looks up. Argus was high up in the clouds, waiting, but she could see him easily, even in the late afternoon sky.

Estes looks at the heavens, and called out, "You may come down, my friend."

The fallen angel descends without any form of dramatic entrance. As the heroes saw him, they weren't able to recognize him at first, though they did felt that Argus was familiar.

As he lands on both feet, Nana asked, "Who are you, mi-"

"No, Nana!" Cyclops warned, gripping her wrist. "He's dangerous!" The mage shivered in fright.

"Wait, who's this?" Irithel asked, but Leo the smilodon was growling at Argus.

"My name was long forgotten due to your beliefs that by saying it will cause a path of destruction upon your homes. Let my voice be your enlightenment," Argus started.

The heroes gasped and immediately pulled out their weapons, all aiming at him. They felt fear and hatred (and a bit of confusion as well).

"Damn it, Estes!" Zhao shouts. "Why put him here?!"

"Should've told us when you had the chance, you nitwits!" Balmond scolded Hayabusa. "You think we'd accept his presence?! Impossible!"

"Calm down," Estes says, signaling with his hands. "If he wanted it, all of us would be gone by now."

"Of course he wants it! Why wouldn't he?!" Karrie exclaims, her lightwheels spinning very fast. "He killed hundreds of my best soldiers. It shall not go unpunished!"

"He may have killed my brethren as well, but he has already changed," Hylos intervenes with his centaurs. "Please understand! Argus is no longer an enemy, and never will be starting today!"

"Tell that to my fallen brethren, centaur," Franco spat. "He wouldn't have been like this if Freya hadn't beaten him. Right, Valkyrie?"

She stood still, but she didn't wield any weapon. Freya calmly walked between Argus and the others.

"What in the world are you doing?! Don't tell me you're standing up for that monster!" Gord reacts. "He may not have hunted down my brothers, but I know he is not to be trusted!"

"Franco said so himself," Freya replies. "If I hadn't fought Argus, we wouldn't be here anymore. But I didn't beat him."

Argus slightly lowers his head. As he makes a step closer, the nervous group stepped backward. "What she says is true. All of you know me. I never back down without a fight. Franco, why do you think I immediately fled the snowy plains in pain?"

"You never feel pain," Sun said. He was all by himself, which meant that there was no clone of his. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Gatotkaca asks. "If he has an Achilles Heel…"

"The sword was meant to be neutral… A test of the Lords of Order to see who was worthy enough to wield it. Anyone who wasn't, and yet, foolishly tries to wield it shall burn," Argus said, looking at his longsword. "The Dark Lord may have been vanquished, but fragments of his soul remained. A fragment was imbued within the sword, corrupting it."

"Don't lie to us, demon," Miya threatens.

"What makes you think I do, archer? I'd have killed you already. Has any of you remembered? As my lust for power grew, I stumbled upon the sword and I held its unmatched power… at the cost of all of my memories."

"No way! No one told us that!" Zhao exclaims. "What… How?!"

"I may have been considered evil, but I never cared about the foes that stood in my way. Humans, Elfs, Orcs, Centaurs, Wastelanders and yes, Demons. I have travelled everywhere and I have killed them without any thought. However, the Dark Lord, in his split state, cannot corrupt the one thing that prevented me from going to his side: my heart. My white body may have turned to black, but golden ichor still runs through me. All that I needed was someone to trigger its heartbeat once more, for I solely relied on the essence of the blade."

"Someone to trigger the heartbeat? So you had some sort of Achilles Heel," Karina says. "What happened next?"

"I had grown arrogant, for I always triumph after every battle. I went back here, and I aimed to slay everyone in Nost Gal, but in the middle of the fight, a Valkyrie challenged me without fear in her heart." Argus looks at Freya, who had a bit of a gloomy look. It dawned on everybody.

"Freya?" Hilda asked, astonished. "You…"

"It was pure chance," she suddenly replies. "My desperation to stop him, I didn't see that I have stabbed him there. He… he clutched his chest and his ichor was spilling out. I had my chance to kill him, but I knew what happened to him."

"After the event, I promised not to kill anymore, and I have learned about everything. Rafaela has also visited me every once in a while, but the guilt remained," the fallen angel continued, looking at his sibling, who was growing shy. "But my chance to redeem myself was visible when I stumbled upon the demonic caverns."

Estes nods, and lets Argus proceed with his story.

"I have detected immense activity in one of the caverns, so I went in to see it for myself. I saw those demons feasting on their prey. They were human, and they've already been dead before they could eat them. I knew that the demons have grown discreet. In the corner of my eye, a man escaped the lair, panicking. I thought that there was something else below. As I went in deeper, I came across a demonizing chamber, and the only one there was little kid, bleeding out and unconscious. He was chained and bore multiple scratch marks, and the demonization process has begun on his right arm."

"Don't you dare tell me that he was Alucard!" Tigreal yells, pulling out his sword. "The Demon Hunters saved him!"

"Tigreal, there's only one way to halt the demonization."

"And it's through an angel's ichor," Estes said.

"Believe me, I have thought of euthanizing him then and there out of pity, but the mark of the Fall was imprinted on his forehead! He's the primary hero of the prophecy, we all know that! The Demon Hunters wouldn't even think of going in the caverns even with absolute preparation!" Argus grew frustrated.

"Oi! Don't belittle our capabilities, murderer!" Victor called out, a few of his ranking officers behind him. "If you dare do that again, I swear I'll send you off myself!"

Yi Sun Shin spat at Argus' feet. "Do it, old man. I hate seeing this monster in front of me!"

A concussive bullet is fired at Argus from the balconies above, but the swordsman blocks it. A wolf sped up to the scene and charges at Argus, attempting to slash him.

"I have no time for the likes of you!" said the werewolf, who was Roger. "Get out of here while you still can!"

The other heroes began to follow up as well, but Freya, Estes, Tigreal, Rafaela and Hylos was in between them, trying to lower their commotion. However, Argus had enough.

"Alucard was alone!" Argus shouts, growing angry. "Admit it! You Demon Hunters before were as arrogant as I was! You only made alliances when your clan was in peril. You claimed to have burned the cavern to the ground, but I did it! The bodies you've buried? They were the members of the cult! The man who escaped… he is Alucard's father! Only females are allowed in that cult! That only means one thing: the Dark Lord acted earlier! He wished to end the fight early, but if it wasn't for me, all of us wouldn't be here! If it wasn't for me, Alucard wouldn't have gained his powers, and we wouldn't have been able to drive off Alice and her henchmen! IF IT WEREN'T FOR MY SACRIFICES, NONE OF US WOULD BE ARGUING THEN AND NOW! I GAVE ALUCARD HIS GREATSWORD, NOT YOU! I BESTOWED HIM HIS POWERS! I AM THE ONE WHO GAVE HIM A SECOND LIFE, SO DON'T YOU DARE THINK THAT YOU KNOW MY TRUE INTENTIONS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T!" He bursts into green flames, his six wings unfurled. His aura left scorch marks on the ground, and his longsword was lit aflame with tongues of fire. He slowly floats into the group and intensifies their sudden fear. Argus raises his blade, then stops, jarring himself back to calmness. His aura dissipated, but a soothing glow radiated from him. He wasn't burning anymore, but warm heat was felt around him. He exhales, and a tear from his eyes dropped to the steps.

Rafaela was dumbfounded. "Argus… are you…"

"I have done too much, yet all of you couldn't see the bigger picture," he began, his voice breaking. "I understand that it wasn't easy for all of you, but it was the same for me as well. I have grown weaker than before, but I am trying so much to redeem myself. If you were in my state, you'd understand, but you aren't. I'm sorry for everything." He begins to fly away, shattered, but Hayabusa stopped him with one final question.

"Who was Alucard's father?"

Argus stops in his tracks and looks at the ninja. His final words were imprinted in the minds of everyone, and even Estes and Hylos were surprised. "None other… than Master Machinist Dublin Rooney."

Meanwh-

HOLD UP HOLD UP IT'S THE FBI!

XD JK

Right now, you're probably like, _"WAIT, WHAT IN GOD'S NAME WAS THAT?! ROONEY IS ALUCARD'S FATHER?! HOW?! YOU BETTER EXPLAIN THIS NOW, ARCTURUS!"_

Or probably, _"Wait, who on earth is Rooney again?"_

Or probably, _"I CANNOT GET OUT OF MY HEAD THAT INSANE ACTION PACKED SCENES OMFG ALUCARD JUST STRAIGHT UP STOMPED ALICE WHAT THE S-"_

I dunno. Ask the files.

" _Tell us the truth! What's with the files?! Are you making this stuff up? Answer us!"_

Gotta be strict with this one, guys. I can't tell. They're really… valuable. A hacker tried to steal it last chapter, and he paid the price. I will explain everything in due time. Just read.

" _Are you intentionally doing this to keep us hooked in reading your fanfic?"_ *INSTA-UNFOLLOW

No.

Who do you think I am, really? Someone crazy, or someone with some awesome idea who could only interpret it through a story?

All I can say is, you have no idea how this world is crazier than you thought it would be.

Arcturus420, making a fanfic concerning one of * (gender unspecified) favorite games. Someone who makes it merely for fun… someone who believed that doing so would be worthless. Remains anonymous and never releases any personal info unless required.

Making a story… not just for the sake of fun, but for the sake of the ML Fandom.

I will finish this story, one way or another. You won't be disappointed.

These files have worth, and everything shall be clear in the end!

 _*(End of Recording, Audio Log #151)_

 _(*) This will serve as your first hint. Never forget it. What matters isn't the audio log. What matters is the reason for it being here._

 _Use the Review Section for theory placement._

Back to the story.

Ruby, unaware of what occurred, stayed put in the private med bays, waiting for Alucard to wake up. Natalia was also there, though she was conscious. The assassin didn't think of disrupting Ruby's peace, but after noticing her familiar expression, she had the urge to say something.

"You love him, do you?"

Ruby immediately turns her head to Natalia. "What?"

"I'd know that kind of face anywhere. It's alright to admit. I keep secrets."

Ruby smiled faintly. "Thanks."

"It's the least I can do. You may not see me around as much (get it? XD), but if there's someone you can count on, it's me."

Ruby remembered hearing the rumors about Natalia from the residents of the Land of Dawn. Through impulse, she asked, "Were the rumors true?"

Natalia's expression didn't change. "What rumors?"

"That you were an outcast?"

The assassin lowered her face, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Only our dearest friends know, but yes, I was. Though, I've gotten used to all the hearsay. People really have a knack for fooling themselves."

"The arguments around are growing bad," Ruby continued, examining her scythe. "Gossip is bad, but they're using some awfully true facts. I just don't want to be misled, that's all."

Natalia stood up and wore her white cloak. She walked to Ruby and sat down. "I was an orphan, discarded by my own parents. My family was the Church of Assassins. Though the group doesn't exist anymore, their works remained prominent… imprinted in the minds of the wary. I was their best combatant, though, I was boastful. I have grown careless. I failed one assassination mission, but my colleague paid the price. If it wasn't for Tigreal's help, we wouldn't be here talking right now."

Ruby nods. "You owe a lot to him."

"I wasn't exiled by the Church of Assassins. I did so myself," Natalia added. "They were brutal and strict. Coming back will most likely be suicide. Ever since, I stuck with Estes and his soldiers. They were the ones who truly regarded me as part of the group… my family. We always had each other's backs. The only thing I could give them is my service."

"At least I get to know all you guys better," Ruby sighed. "People really need to wake up."

"Our past no longer defines who we are. It's what we do," the assassin finalized. "I heard about Argus. I don't care if he killed millions before. What's the significance of it now? People shouldn't complain anymore. They have to cast all of their differences aside, because if they don't, we've already lost the war. Look at you, the girl with the scythe. I don't care about the fact that you lost your family. I care about what you did to avenge them, and what you did for the families ravaged by wolves. I don't see you as a former psychopath, or an orphan. To me, you're a hero, like everyone else, and that's what people need to know."

(Reading this in the files left me dumbfounded.)

Ruby looked at the sleeping Demon Hunter. "Does he see me as so?"

Natalia shrugged. "If he does, it's a proper reason to feel what you feel."

"How do you even know all of this? The first time I saw you, I regarded you as creepy. Now you started lecturing me like an old man atop a lofty hill."

The assassin laughed. "You can never teach what you never know. You can never know if you never experience it."

"Tigreal, huh?"

"Yep."

Ruby had a mischievous look in her eyes. "I knew it! Did you alre-"

"DON'T… go overboard," Natalia grumbles, her eyes widening. "Just… don't. I have to remind you that you're barely legal for that stuff."

"Okay, just joking." Ruby looks at Alucard, and saw that his hands started to twitch. "Alucard? You're awake?!"

"What's wrong?"

"He's waking up!"

Natalia rushes to the other side of the bed. "Take it easy. He might be in pain."

Alucard slowly opened his eyes, his head hurting. He groans and tries to get up, but Natalia pushes him down.

"You need rest, Alucard. I'll call Estes for you." Natalia walks, and Ruby could see the bandage wrapped around the assassin's wrist. She exits the med bay. The Demon Hunter looks around and sees Ruby, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"H-Hey… are you alright?" he asked.

Ruby's expression changed drastically. "ALRIGHT? ALRIGHT?! You get blasted by three of Zhask's little pets, and that greatsword of yours flew to your arm and you took on Alice, Ms. Ugly, and Bug Face at the same time! You drove them away and you suddenly passed out! We tried to wake you up but it's no use! Now that you're awake, the first thing you say to me is, 'Are you alright?' NO, I AM NOT, ALUCARD! I'M NOT! ARE YOU THAT SELFLESS?!"

"Wait, wait, I… let me explain!" he stammered, holding his hands up. "I'm sorry, alright? I thought… I thought you were…"

Ruby stomped the floor and forcefully yanked Alucard's face to hers. She felt so mad, but she started to cry, tears streaming down her cheeks. Alucard kissed her slowly and hugged her. She buried her face on his shoulder.

"Just… don't do that again!" she commanded with frustration. "I don't… I don't want to lose anyone anymore… I'm done with that…"

"Don't worry. After all this, we'll be alright. I promise."

"Never make promises you can't keep."

"But… those are the best ones."

The door suddenly opens, and Argus and Estes went in the med bay.

"Ah, so you're awake!" Estes began, casting his runes. "You are fine, Alucard. You sustained no injury. Though, I'd recommend you stay there for a while. You took a huge toll back at the crater."

Ruby eyes the fallen angel. "Hey, what're you doing here?"

"I'm here to speak to him," Argus replies, nudging his head to the Demon Hunter. "You may stay if you wish."

"Sure, thanks."

Alucard couldn't take his eyes off of Argus. "You… don't really look familiar to me," he said, with a voice hinting that he wasn't sure. "But if you did save me, thanks."

"He has a lot to explain to you," Estes said. "As for your unfamiliarity, it's because he wiped your memories. But now, he shall show you everything. And I mean, everything."

"Even about my father?"

"Yes. Shall we begin?"


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Reminiscence**

I am not dead.

Before I spout some words of wisdom, let me ask you this.

Have you seen "Mobile Legends Stories" on YouTube? Because I haven't.

" _Wait, what? Arcturus, watch that! It's so cool!"_

" _Don't watch it, man. It's so cliché. They got the characters wrong!"_

" _It's a whole lot better than your story, tryhard."_

Yada yada yada…

Anyway, I am being completely honest. I _haven't_ watched a single episode yet. However, by simply looking at the video thumbnails, I always make the same reaction…

Disgust.

" _Damn, that's one way to criticize a book by its cover."_

But this was my _initial_ reaction. But, over time, I assumed that the whole series has some potential. However, something is most definitely… lacking.

I don't know. I probably have an absolutely different view than you guys, but I will say this.

The series has huge potential. An even bigger one compared to my story. The only thing that the creator has to do is to make sure that the hype remains balanced and constant, and to not go overboard. Like I already told you guys, there are still criteria to make an epic story.

Gotta have to list that again.

1\. The Plot – THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. NEVER TAKE IT LIGHTLY. This is what makes some unsung stories stand out more than the famed ones. The plot may or may not be generic. This also includes all the other sub-plots that spice up the main course. Once more, never forget this, and always stick to the plot, not the sub-plots. Those merely increase hype. They're not the plot themselves, unless you're making a plot twist.

2\. The Setting/Theme – Always consider the timelines.

" _Oh, come on, dude! Yours is confusing!"_

Wanna know why? It's because the files omitted some stuff from the background history of the characters in the game. I guess it was meant to throw off the AUTHENTIC INFORMATION off the whole thing. For example: There was no Second Plane War, in which Estes was badly injured. Alright, fine. I will clarify my timelines, starting to when the planet, Gaius, was born.

 _(All info corresponds to Dimension 73, the 'original' dimension.)_

10,000,000,000 (Unconfirmed) Years Ago – Creation

10,000,000 (Unconfirmed) Years Ago – Birth of Gaius

9,800,000 Years Ago – First Appearance of the Lords of Order

9,000,000 Y.A. – Construction of Nature in Gaius

8,900,000 Y.A. – Gradual Formation of Genesys Gem

8,899,900 Y.A. – Splitting of Genesys Gem

8,500,000 Y.A. to 150,000 Y.A. – Formation of the Dark Lord, Inactivity Stage

150,000 Y.A. – Birth of Stone Giants and Centaurs

100,000 Y.A. – Birth of Humans, Elves and Orcs

95,000 Y.A. – Insanely Fast Civilization Progression, Birth of Demons

90,000 to 25,000 Y.A. – Neutral State, Landing of Zhask's Transceiving Spirit to Gaius

16,000 Y.A. – Alice's Fall to Evil

15,000 Y.A. – First World War, Start of Anarchic Century (A time when the protagonist races lost control), Safekeeping of Transceiving Spirit

14,900 Y.A. – Divine Intervention from the Lords of Order, Formation of Peace Treaties and Civil War Prevention Protocol

14,899 Y.A. – Argus' Fall, Escape of Transceiving Spirit

14,500 Y.A. – Formation of Demon Hunter Clan, Construction of Early Eruditio

14,450 Y.A. – Wasteland Conditions officially Hospitable, Rise of Iga and Onmyouji

13,700 Y.A. – Recruiting of the Guardians of Nature

13,500 Y.A. – Rise of Alaghat and Swan

12,000 Y.A. – Hybrid Millenium commences, Multiple hybrid offspring from different parents pop out

11,470 Y.A. – Discovery of Ancient Prophecy

11,469 Y.A. – Project Bastion commences (A complex series of instructions concerning the preparations to fulfill the prophecy. It is also an immediate order to protect any discovered Shards from the Dark Lord.)

11,450 Y.A. – Dark Lord's Shard Hunt

11,400 Y.A. – Creation of Moonlight Codex from Last Surviving Moonlight Shard

11,000 Y.A. – Shadowbringer Extinction made Official

10,900 Y.A. – Vexana's Fall to Evil

10,600 Y.A. – Clash of Haas and White Tooth on whoever will be the Wolf King (I guess you know who already won.)

10,300 Y.A. – Last Confirmed Sighting of Argus, Birth of the cult known as 'The Fall'

10,200 Y.A. – Aurora was the last recruit as a Guardian of Nature

10,000 Y.A. – Sea Pirates Convergence

9,700 Y.A. – Sun's Entrapment

8,100 Y.A. – Minotaur's Imprisonment

4,781 Y.A. – Estes' Awakening

3,910 Y.A. – Centaurs find a lone Dawn Shard (Estes has decreed to make a secret portal to the island of Centaurs, where the shard is.)

3,529 Y.A. – Stone Titans considered Extinct

3,265 Y.A. – Rise to Civilizations harboring Natural Magic

2,944 Y.A. – First Marked Appearance of Cyclops' Community

2,763 Y.A. – A Seer's Warning concerning the intertwining of two souls, one from Iga and one from Onmyouji, which will have a critical type of importance in the future (You know who those two are.)

2,447 Y.A. – Death of Bane (due to old age)

2,100 Y.A. – Seraphim and Valkyrie Descent made Prohibited, Worldwide Protests emerge

1,623 Y.A. – Formation of the Night Elves

1,329 Y.A. – Sudden Ambush of Demons in the Land of Dawn, Miya Unlocks Her True Power

1,202 Y.A. – Formation of the Royal Guard, Rise of the Baroque Family (Lancelot's Family)

1,099 Y.A. – The Recruitment of the very first Shadow of Iga, as well as that of the very first wielder of the Seimei Umbrella (this was to confirm if the two were really the ones being mentioned by the old Seer. However, the cause of the practice simply faded away over time.)

928 Y.A. – Grock's Awakening

911 Y.A. – Nuclear Fallout in Malefic City

855 Y.A. – The Fall receives a prophecy from their overseer, stating that one of their maidens in a future time will give birth to a son who will be the one destined to defeat the Dark Lord (However, this prophecy was ridiculed by the citizens. Only Estes took this grave warning.)

781 Y.A. – First Unconfirmed Sighting of a Shadowbringer

698 Y.A. – Malefic City now deemed Hospitable, but Radiation Levels are still being kept in check (citizens must remain wearing hazmat suits and must avoid going outside, as the radiation can penetrate through)

654 Y.A. – The Crow Civilization starts

619 Y.A. – Alice's Onslaught on Askati Forest, the bride Pharsa becomes blind and gains her powers

574 Y.A. – Sun's Escape

523 Y.A. – Birth of the Vance Family (smells like an OP female sniper huehuehue)

485 Y.A. – Lion Academy (of Magical City) was Constructed (alternate dimension)

420 Y.A. – Freya's Descent to the Land of Dawn

310 Y.A. – Bane's Resurrection, but there is absolutely no activity from Sea Pirates

232 Y.A. – City of Scholars finishes construction

181 Y.A. – Gord was born

177 Y.A. – Eudora was born

(Wait, why are they so old?)

(To answer your question… they're magic users. Of course they could think of something up.)

159 Y.A. – Formation of the Church of Assassins

137 Y.A. – Construction of Antoinerei

100 Y.A. – Saber, Johnson and Alpha's first touchdown to the Land of Dawn

91 Y.A. – Argus' Sudden Return

80 Y.A. – Argus' Reminiscence

77 Y.A. – Rafaela's First Descent after Millennia

55 Y.A. – Birth of Master Machinist Dublin Rooney

45 Y.A. – Karina is considered the best Night Elf Assassin

37 Y.A. – Cyclops was born (Why on earth does he sound like a kid? Slow Aging Process. 'Nuff said.)

29 Y.A. – Birth of Tigreal and Lancelot

28 Y.A. – Natalia was born

24 Y.A. – Fanny was born

21 Y.A. – Birth of Alucard, Ruby, Hayabusa and Kagura

20 Y.A. – Bruno, Chou and Lolita was born

19 Y.A. – Demonic Rampage Ensues, Death of the Members of the Fall

18 Y.A. – Layla was born

16 Y.A. – Moskov's Fall

10 Y.A. – First of Hayabusa and Kagura's Volatile Soul Reactions

6 Y.A. – Tigreal saves Natalia, Lancelot's Fatal Accident

5 Y.A. – Fanny creates her gear

4 Y.A. – Noumenon Energy Core bestowed upon Lolita's hammer

3 Y.A. – Saber, Johnson and Alpha's Second Touchdown

1 Y.A. – Last Stand Protocol in effect (Estes' called the protagonist races and let them live peacefully in the Land of Dawn)

5 months ago – First Dawn Shard safely kept

3 months ago – Nana was rescued, Harley teleports to the Land of Dawn

2 months ago – Second Dawn Shard safely kept

…and I guess you know what happened next.

Lengthy, huh? It's not that easy.

3\. Characters – You can either be generic or unique with your characters. This is actually the most complex (but not most critical). Choosing the characters only has a few criteria, one of them being so that it correlates with the 2nd criteria, the setting. Always have a bit of character development, and keep things stable.

4\. Pacing – This is something that irritates me. Ever felt that things are going too fast for you? That's because the pacing is rushed. Give in a few sub-plot events, not immediately give the main course.

Making a story is not like preparing a meal, it's like serving it. Preparing and serving are two different things.

As I promised, there will be some clarifications in the story… also a spice of… romance. Saying that makes me cringe a bit.

I hope my practice pays off. It's so hard to write romantic stuff without shaking. Seriously, I remembered that last time I talked about this cheesy stuff and we both agreed that it's cringy and…

It makes moving on even harder.

" _Ooh, touched a nerve there, dear narrator? Huehuehuehue…"_

No. XD

Still single.

If any of you hardcore readers of mine (probably none) would find a way of making a new cover image for my story, I'd be delighted! I can't rely on my friends. Sure, they're good in drawing…

But I have higher expectations. Darn, I'm so used to them, I am becoming a bit too perfectionist.

If you're asking if Mobile Legends can have its own movie…

It can't. Not because of the copyright and stuff. We can tackle that. The problem is…

1\. The Cast – We can't simply think of those big Hollywood teen actors. It's too… cliché. We have to admit. If we'd have to make bigger impact, we must have to rely on actors who have fitting personalities, voices and looks (probably… CGI?). And don't get me started with…

2\. The Scores – The music. We can't use the in-game music. That makes the movie absolutely done for. Man, the scores in the Avengers and Justice League (mostly Marvel, but whatever) will totally fit… But we won't cross the line. Have you also thought of the ones who would lead the scores? The conductor?

3\. The Money – Lots of casts, lots of people, lots of roles, lots of jobs. Can we be able to give them the salary? Well, with a bit of help from Moonton, but that will never be enough.

And finally…

4\. The Overall Plot – There is no viable story yet.

" _Yo, you could use the story you're making right now!"_

But I'm not even done yet! And besides, would I be willing?

By the time you read this, 389 pages of work are processed. Yes. This is a lot bigger than you think. I don't want a Part 1, 2 and 3. That decreases the hype. Unless it's J.R.R. Tolkien. Those movies are still good up until today. And besides, the dudes would just probably cut some 'unimportant' scenes. Don't do the same mistakes… like the ones who made a supposed-to-be action packed movie, yet, having its overall hype overshadowed by a 2 minute trailer of the same thing.

Oh wait…

By the way, I think you already know who's for Freya. I swear to God, if you don't…

Shall we continue?

Back to the med bays.

"Oh… so that's how you came to be now," Alucard said, dumbfounded by Argus' narration.

"Confusing, but at least you can comprehend," the fallen angel replies. "Alucard… about your father…"

"What?"

"I've known him personally."

"Really?" Ruby reacts. "How come he wasn't scared of you?"

Argus puts his hand on Alucard's forehead, and the Demon Hunter began to have his vision. He calmly focused and closed his eyes. As soon as he opened them, he could see that he was high up in the clouds, the ground beneath him.

"You are now seeing through my eyes," Argus explains. "This memory of mine was from five decades ago."

In Alucard's view, he landed on a deep forest, and somewhere in the middle lay a cottage. It was decent, with a chimney billowing white smoke. He walked up to the window, and inside, saw the usual contents of a forest cottage. It was peaceful. However, it seemed like no one was inside.

"Hey, mister!"

Alucard's view suddenly turned, and he saw the person who spoke behind him. It was a kid, probably 7 years of age. He lacked a few teeth (since he smiled, Alucard knew), and patches of white hair marked his overall black hair. He was holding a book about machinery.

"There he is," Argus' voice echoed. "Your father."

"Ooh, that's an awesome sword!" the kid says, astonished. "Man, I wouldn't want to touch it though. It fits you!"

" _How come he wasn't afraid?" Alucard thought. "He probably doesn't know about Argus."_

"Hey, what's your name? I'm Dublin Rooney, but my friends call me Dubs! How can I help you?"

" _Wait, what?!"_

Alucard gets jarred back to reality, panicked. "Rooney… he's my father?! The renowned mechanic?"

"At first, I couldn't believe it," Argus said, hanging his head low. "I thought it was too silly. However, my view shifted as soon as I saw him, cradling you in your arms. Every night, I visited your house, and I silently kept watch, guarding you, without your parents knowing. I felt that you had some sort of importance, but those nights wherein I simply thought to myself did not help in realizing that you were the main hero of the prophecy. I stopped attending to you when you were marked as the 'Child of the Fall', by that cult, where your mother belonged. Her name was Marie, an anagram for Aimer, as thought so by the overseer."

"French for 'love'," Ruby mutters. "That's cool."

"You're correct, Ruby. As for the cult, they're very friendly and courteous to anyone. They have this sort of belief, concerning someone's redemption… Someone's chance to set things right to prove himself worthy again. They never forcefully recruit. All of those members freely chose for themselves, with all sincerity and purity of heart. Ever since my recollection, they were my inspiration. Through their doctrines, they have forged miracles. But to the people, nothing is more terrifying than a miracle."

"So they weren't trustworthy," Alucard guessed, scratching his head. "They didn't receive aid?"

"Only Estes saw the goodness in their words. He planned to assist them at some time… until the Dark Lord interfered."

(Remember Restricted Theme #3?)

"Interfered?"

"He knew of the prophecy. Estes may have locked down the access to the texts, but the Dark Lord knew so long ago. And he was so close to fulfilling his desire of taking down whoever that hero was, and if I didn't intervene…" Argus shook his head and raised his hand. "No words of mine can let you comprehend the massacre he brought into this world. Prepare yourself."

Argus puts his hand in Alucard's forehead once more, and Alucard sees absolute darkness around him. He couldn't see well, so he looked around and saw huge cavern. He heard the flapping of wings, and Argus landed on the rocky ground.

"You won't be seeing through my eyes. You can explore the memory as much as you like. You can merely pause as well," his voice echoed. "However, I hope you aren't that faint-hearted."

Alucard follows Argus, who proceeded to walk through the cavern in a cautious manner. No matter how hard Alucard sharpened his senses, he couldn't hear anything except the faint rushing of the wind. After a while, though, he began to hear clamoring. Alucard stepped on something murky with his boots. As he looked closer, he realized it was blood.

"I can light the whole place myself?" he asked verbally. As a sort of response, the cave gradually grew brighter for him to see easily. He was shocked to see the wide trail of blood on his feet, snaking deeper into the cave. The blood seemed fresh, and most of it hasn't dried up yet.

"What in the name…"

"It gets much worse than that," Argus adds. The fallen angel in Alucard's vision wasn't fazed by the blood trail, and was more focused to the clamor he was hearing. Alucard hurries and slowly descends deeper. Some passages grew tight, but he was able to fit in easily. He followed Argus' trail, which seemed to be lacking any presence. After a few minutes, Argus stops in his tracks on a narrow ledge. Alucard tiptoes to the thin bridge and looks down.

And upon seeing what he saw, he had the urge to vomit.

(Get ready…)

Below him were hundreds of demons, mostly Ravagers and Hellhounds. A few Spitfires were perched on small holes within the rocky interior, screeching at the mass. What makes the sight worse wasn't the ferocity of the demons, but rather…

The demons on the ground were drenched in stinking blood, and they were chewing on fresh carcasses of people for their meal. Most of them were already dead, torn to pieces by the demons' sharp teeth, but some were still alive, screaming in agony as they were being torn apart, limb by limb. Alucard sees a woman being yanked around by four Hellhounds by the limbs, and due to the force of the pull, her arms and legs were dismembered at the same time. The torso was chewed on by a Ravager. Her screams, along with the others', echoed around the place.

"I warned you," Argus said. "This was the horror the Dark Lord officiated. He most likely wanted to kill you. But then, he chose a far more sinister idea."

Argus (in Alucard's vision) looked down on the frenzy below, and whispered to himself, "My Lords, have mercy on their souls. They don't deserve these fates." He suddenly raises his bowed head, and looks at the other side of the interior. A man, who had tattered clothes and a few wounds on the leg, was scaling the walls, never thinking of looking at the massacre below. He escapes through a small, unoccupied vent that leads out to the exit.

"Rooney was able to survive that onslaught," Argus explained. "He was later discovered near the reaches of Malefic City. I guess you know what happened to him then."

The fallen angel looks around, travelling deeper within the systems, the clamoring fading away. Alucard followed suit, and he came across a passageway with multiple openings on either side. Argus looked around.

"Demonization chambers," the fallen angel (the one in the vision) mutters. "No one is here."

Alucard peers into each opening. There were nothing in every room, only unused pairs of shackles nailed to the walls. He looked in front of him, and he saw Argus abruptly stopped. The Demon Hunter runs to him, and Argus enters a chamber, which was occupied. Alucard rushes into the scene, and he was horrified.

A small boy, roughly 3-4 years of age, was shackled, his body limp and hanging. Multiple cuts and bruises were on him, and his clothes were tattered. Blood was dripping from the cuts from his legs. He was barely breathing, and the demonization process has begun on his right arm.

"I wanted to end your life then and there out of pity," Argus' voice echoes. "But something stopped me in my tracks."

The fallen angel knelt down, assessing the boy's condition by putting the back of his hand on his neck. The body had a tinge of warmth, but it won't be long before it grows cold. Argus sighed.

"I didn't want to do this," he began. "But… it's better than a life worse than death." Argus pulled out his blade and slowly set the edge on the boy's neck. He was hesitant to push, but as soon as Argus was about to, the boy's forehead began to bear an insignia: a humanoid figure with a set of broad wings.

Argus was shocked, and immediately stumbled, dropping the blade. "You… you're the one they say…"

"There was no mistaking that symbol. I knew I had to do something to pull you out of your misery," Argus told Alucard in the vision. "So I came up with the only probable solution."

"The ichor," the Demon Hunter mutters. He watches as Argus cuts himself in the vision, letting his gold blood seep out slowly. He angles his arm and puts the wound on the boy's dried lips. The ichor was absorbed through the cracked lips of the boy. Argus put his hand on the neck, and the body felt a lot warmer than before. The wounds and scars on the young Alucard began to heal and fade into nothingness. Argus silently unlocks the shackles and carries the boy.

"If anything, it's my chance to prove my humility once more," Argus mutters. "Don't worry, Lumos. Your death is postponed for now." The fallen angel eyes out the nearest opening that led to the outside of the cavern, and flew without making a sound. The vision warps, and Alucard sees a familiar forest, with a path covered by brown leaves, surrounded by thick oak trees. Argus lays the unconscious boy next to the trunk of a tree. He snaps his fingers, and summons a warm blanket out of nowhere. Argus conjured a portal that led to total darkness. He inserts his arm and fishes out a big sword from it… Alucard's Greatsword.

"You are destined for more, my child," Argus said in the vision. "Don't let my suffering be for naught. You shall be the glue, the cement that will mend the broken bonds of these races. You are Lumos, the light that shall drive away the impending darkness, but your physique makes you a paradox. Make friends and allies, but never forget who you truly are. One day, I will return to aid you and them. The Demon Hunters will cross this passage in the morning to exterminate the demons in the cavern. This won't be your last hour, boy. Fulfill your destiny. I am counting on you." Afterwards, Argus flew back to where the cavern was, but he was borderline impossible to see due to the lack of stars in the sky. The vision ends, and Alucard was back at the med bays, clutching Ruby's hand.

"Do you believe me now?"

"I… I don't have the words…" Alucard placed a hand on his forehead. "The more I knew…"

"The sooner the Dark Lord would find you. It may not seem much, but I risked a lot to keep you alive. I kept watch up until the day you became an official Demon Hunter. Your reputation, I cannot diminish. I merely waited for the time to show up. I couldn't watch over Layla. Their city was wide open, but I was able to keep track of your father's movements. However, helping him wasn't a recommended idea."

"I understand. I… just wish people could see. You know, how much you're trying to change," the Demon Hunter said. "Argus, why can't they see it?"

"They're used to having these kinds of events. For them, it's just some small talk that they could use for manipulation. It was one thing they belittle…"

"It's unfair," Ruby interrupted. "What makes them have the right to say such stuff to us? It tempts me to force them to fight demons alone."

"We're all different. I am surprised our motives remain the same in the end. I promise you, I am one you can trust."

"Argus won't be staying around that much," Estes said. "He has to be out of the kingdom every now and then. We can't make a commotion. Also, you're not getting out of the med bays until I say so, Alucard. We have to assess the effects of your zoning."

"Zoning?" Ruby asked. "You mean-"

"Yes, when he fought Alice, Vexana and Zhask alone and won. However, that's not even Alucard's true potential, yet. He went berserk back at the crater, but the next time he unlocks his power, it will be much more controlled. We're going to have to teach him."

"I won't go insane doing that, right?" Alucard asks, curious.

"No. The reason why you did before was because of the fact that you had a lapse. Though, the blade's effect was also external. I realized that your friends barely got a few wounds or bruises on their bodies whatsoever. Odd, considering the foes you fought."

"The aura, perhaps?"

"The ichor still runs through you," Argus explained. "Unlocking the blade's power requires a demonic presence. Judging from that arm of yours, you can unlock it. However, the golden ichor is the limiter. It's your lifeline. Attack during that state, and your wounds will heal. A terrifying power, both glorious and sinister, that also affects your allies. That's why you can control it consciously. The sword is linked to your blood. It knows you."

"I am a paradox. Stained with evil, yet pure of heart."

"Nice observation," Ruby hinted. "Now, we're even."

"Shut up." The two laughed, while Estes simply smiled.

"We should be going," the Elven King said. "Argus will leave for the meantime. If you need anything, we're free to help."

"We're fine for now, but thanks… for everything."

The fallen angel nods and exits the med bays with Estes, shutting the door.

"I have to watch over you from now on," Ruby warned. "Who knows? You'd get crazy."

"Actually, I wasn't thinking straight during that. What happened?"

"You stomped Alice's face while whacking Zhask. Can it get even cooler than that?"

"Woah, really?"

"If only I had a camera."

"Imagination is enough," Alucard replies. "So… what shall we do?"

Ruby circles her arms around his neck. "Let's just have a bit of time alone, okay? You scared me back there."

"I was even more scared that I'd die too early."

"We're together, along with the others. That's enough to keep my hopes up." She kisses him lightly.

"How would I get used to this?"

"Answer? Never."

Meanwhile…

I promised sauce, but you need to be patient. That back there was just the appetizer.

If you're asking about my absence…

The laptop was broken, so we had to purchase a new one. 'Nuff said.

Shall we continue?

(By the way, I like the name 'Gossen' rather than 'Gusion'. Gusion is a name of a devil. I know that because I watch Gundam IBO and Gusion is the name of a Mobile Suit there. And besides, I keep thinking of that thing wielding its huge nippers ready to scissor cockpits rather than the holy assassin when I hear the name.)

A few heroes were back at the training grounds, having friendly 1v1's.

(This was a few days after the incidents.)

"Jeez, you really don't take a break, do you, Chou?" Zhao asks, panting. "You're making me spent."

"I don't know, I just feel a bit too jumpy, anyway. Can't get my mind off things," the Kung Fu boy replies, brushing off the dust on his pants.

"Have you realized that you beat every single one of the fighters here in your first matches against them, without any weapon?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I don't really have a knack for bragging, though. It's so hard to dodge your attacks! It's not that easy."

"Yet, you did it. Doesn't make any difference."

Chou grabs Zhao's outstretched hand and helps him up to his feet. "You can grab a seat, if you want."

"Yeah, thanks, bro." Zhao eyes out Alucard going into the scene. "Ah, darn. He's here."

Alucard walks in with Ruby. Lancelot and Odette were also sitting down, watching closely. Hayabusa, Freya, Miya, Karina and Roger were also there, and upon seeing him, they snapped to attention.

"Hey, what's up?" Freya asks. "You alright now?"

"I can stand, thanks," Alucard replies. Miya chuckles in response.

"What brings you here, my man?" Chou asks. "Don't tell me you're going to have a sparring session."

"Um, no. I'm just going to test out my new po-"

"NO, DON'T!" Hayabusa yelled, holding out his hands. "Um, I mean, isn't that like… life-threatening?"

"No, no, we had permission from Estes. His runes are on standby in case things go bad," Ruby explains. "We'll all keep a careful eye on him."

The others converged around. "Try not to do anything foolish, boy," Roger warns, puffing his cigar.

"Don't worry, I won't go berserk." Alucard walks into the center of the open field, the others observing him. He recalls what Estes told him.

" _To unlock the sword's potential, you have to focus. A certain amount of concentration is required. It's also the same limiter preventing you from going overboard. Now, since it's in its demonic state, you'd have to do this: Focus on your target. Remember why he, or she, is your enemy. Recall all the suffering it dealt to you, or to anyone else. Loathe in it, but never forget your sanity. Once you do so, the sword will unlock its potential, but you are the one controlling it with ease. It won't resist you, but the relationship is based off of respect. Never let the sword be the master."_

Alucard closed his eyes and put his right foot behind. A blue training hologram is displayed in front of him, simply standing.

He deeply thought about Alice's taunts, those words she was desperately using to bring him to the edge. He recalls Aurora's insults at his friends. He remembers the bloody massacre in the caverns. He was angered, but he managed to calm himself.

" _I am the master…" he thought. "Unlock the power you wield. Give me a taste of what you hold."_

The greatsword glowed red, but it wasn't as intense as before. The spectators grew nervous.

"Here it goes…" Karina mumbles.

Lancelot walks cautiously towards him and asks, "Are you fine?"

"Yes, I am. It's alright," Alucard replies. The group walks toward him, and he opens his eyes. They were still the same color, without any red mist. They didn't glow, but he could feel the power surging.

"Is he good?" Zhao asked.

"Hold on." Alucard looks at the hologram, and in a swift manner, slashes the air, casting a light red fission wave that cuts through the hologram, shattering it to bits.

"Woah…" Karina mutters. "And that's just the start…"

Five holograms appeared, but Alucard jumped to one as soon as they spawned. His combat style changed drastically as every single slash and strike became disastrous. Alucard dashes straight through them like homing missiles, destroying them instantly.

"It's like his attacks lock on the enemies, and he grows stronger after every strike," Chou assessed. "This is nuts, but the event will cause a bit of immense fatigure."

"Okay, okay, that's something," he began. The glow ebbed, and the group let out a sigh. Alucard felt exhausted for a few seconds before recuperating.

"Alice would have to consider her actions before fighting you," Odette said. "With that power in your hands, they'd focus on attacking you instead."

"Just use that thing as a last resort," Zhao says. "But that may seem highly expected. The demons will be forced to attacking you first and making you use that ability immediately. You're their top priority target. What makes you think Zhask focused on you more than Argus himself?"

"Remember, we're all here to protect _you_ as well, not just the Shard," Lancelot warns. "The mages are telling us that there is a cavity on the shell of the gem, and the carving matches your body."

"I know, I know. We're going to have to think of new game plans," Alucard sighed.

(The thing about the carving… there is something awesome related to it. Why would there be one in the first place?)

"We can't have you in the frontlines anymore with everyone conscious of your powers. We might have our rep going downhill," Ruby adds.

Suddenly, a portal conjures a couple of meters away from the group. They immediately pull out their weapons and stood guard.

"A portal? Here?" Roger snarls, aiming his blunderbuss. His stance shows that he is ready to turn into a werewolf at any moment. "This doesn't seem like one Estes would make."

"It's a rift," Freya explains. "The third stage of the repairs on the Gem was able to give us opportunities to travel through space and time, but with risky consequences. One of us has travelled out, I assume. They're going back in here."

"Let's keep watch," Karina orders. "It could be one of the cyborgs."

A minute passes and four people immediately pop out of the dark rift: Alpha, Harley, and two new people no one could recognize. The cyborg seemed panicked, as he immediately faced the open rift and made Beta launch a bullet barrage. Harley threw his cards in response. A bloodcurdling wail elicited from the rift, and it closes suddenly, leaving a deafening silence.

"Dammit, we shouldn't have trusted that route in the first place," a newcomer said. He sported brown tousled hair with a white jacket and a leather top. He wore black pants with fashioned combat boots with a purple scarf matching the shirt. On his hand was a glowing dagger, which he, out of impulse, kept fiddling on his fingers.

"There was no other way," Harley sighed. "At least we got out of it alive."

"Alive?!" the second newcomer yelled. She had purple hair tied into a ponytail, with a pendant with three blue feathers. She wore an eyepatch covering her left eye, and held a classical sniper rifle (the ones you see in the old days). Her outfit awfully makes her resemble the royal guard Lancelot was with before he went rogue. "If it wasn't for the monster and the rebels, we-"

"Hey, what's going on here?" Hayabusa asked, raising his hand. "Alpha, what did you do with Harley?"

"Well, we picked up a close relative of his," Alpha answers, nudging at the mage. "He said they'd be of help, but the mission was too risky. I am glad we got out in one piece."

Cyclops was in the distance, and saw Harley with the newcomers, trying to settle an argument.

"Where have you been?!" the one-eyed magician asked, hugging his best friend. "I couldn't see you with my hourglass."

"Long story," Harley said.

"Who are they?" Cyclops asked him, looking at the unknown pair.

"Who are the newcomers, Harley?" Chou interrogated.

"Lesley and Gossen."

(Yes, I used Gossen. And I won't refer to Hayabusa's new character bio. There's too much things to fix.)

"At your service," Gossen bowed. "Sorry for all the commotion. Space travel is a drag.

"Not really," Lesley adds. "My little brother is a bit awkward when it comes to decision making.

"Hey!" Harley exclaimed. "I worked hard to pull you from there to here!"

"Wait, Harley, you had an older sister?" Ruby started, shocked.

"In a different dimension. Another long story. C'mon, let me show you around, sis! This place has awesome stuff." Harley beckons Lesley and she follows him around. Gossen looks at the two dearly. Alpha and Chou follow them to keep them on guard.

"I get dragged into this. Heh. Guess it makes my job a lot harder," the assassin said.

"What kind of job?" Alucard asked.

"Wait, you're the Demon Hunter, right? The one Harley was talking about?"

"Yeah, why?"

Gossen reached out his hand. "You deserve a handshake for taking on the big bad at the same time." Alucard takes it and shakes.

"You know of them, don't you?"

"In my home, I still gained knowledge concerning other worlds. This, technically, is the main dimension, I assume?"

"True," Freya answers.

"The onslaught of Alice and Vexana also reached to other worlds. Like I said before, protecting Lesley and Harley will be a lot harder. Besides, I get paid for it."

"You're the personal bodyguard?" Lancelot asks. "Also, what's with you twirling your dagger?"

"Oh, pardon me. Mannerisms." Gossen suddenly dashes away from them and launches five daggers of the same type in different directions, sticking out of the ground. After a while, he flies back to the group, the daggers going back to him. They simply pass through him and disappear.

"I'm done explaining what I can do," he says. "If you need anything, just ask."

"Wait, how could you do that?" Karina asks. "You're a lot faster than most of us."

"My daggers are imbued with magic. They gain special properties. They easily launch away and come back to me. However, I have not completely mastered it. The hit-and-run techniques are risky, and needs absolute speed."

"Another sparring partner to fight against," Zhao mumbles. "Another difficult one to beat."

"Really, that's all you could think about?" Miya jokes.

"We are going to have a bit of explaining to Estes, then," Cyclops finalizes. "Wait, where's Hayabusa?"

"What do you-" Odette looks around, and notices the ninja's sudden disappearance. "I hope he's fine."

"Ah, my love," Lancelot replies. "This comrade of ours has fortitude."

"Unless Kagura is around."

"Hmm, I have a lot more to meet," Gossen says. "Time to get updated. Can you guys show me around and such?"

Meanwhile…

Okay, boys and girls. This is what you've all been waiting for.

The sauce.

The one thing you truly relish.

And… probably the only reason why my story is still alive. XD

Take a deep breath…

Here we go.

Are you ready?

Hayabusa teleported around, reaching his residential home. He was bored, and he wanted to have a bit of peace in mind.

" _Was it disrespectful to leave without warning?"_ he thought. _"Meh. Too late, anyway."_

He opens the door to his room…

And was shocked that Kagura was sitting on the edge of the bed, reading a photo book.

"Dammit, Kagura!" Hayabusa spurt, startled. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

She simply smiled at him. "Sorry, couldn't help myself to get here."

"What's that?" he asks, looking at the photo book.

"Memories. A lot of them."

At the same time…

Argus was at the roof of the citadel, with Rafaela.

"How's the view?" Argus asked.

"I fear that we will not persevere, but with you, we're grateful, at some point in time," the healer responds. "Do you have the essence?"

Argus creates a dark rift and pulls out dark, swirling matter from the hole. The negative energy around was volatile…

"It is time, my sister," he began. "I may be of use, but the heroes around us deserve more than what is coming towards them. If anything, this is how we can repay for our shortcomings." He hands the dark essence to the angel. "If they are to fight a war in which they will inevitably fall, we must give them the chance to have one more time to dwell in happiness, starting now."

Rafaela puts the tip of her scepter on the dark essence. The staff injects light on the essence, and the matter overflows with white light, expelling it.

"The curse has now been dispelled," Rafaela announced. "If necessary, I can reset the changes."

"Thank you, Rafaela. I owe you." Before Argus could fly away, she asked…

"You love her, don't you?" Argus looked on the floor, feeling guilty. "You love her, because she is like you. She… helped you to be who you are now."

"Yes. I do. Nothing can change it." Argus held a nearby pedestal, feeling weak. "If it isn't wrong to love, why are we forbidden to do so?"

Rafaela couldn't answer. "Argus…"

"Do you know why I took the sword?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"It was out of greed, but not for power. It… it was for everyone. I wanted it… for everyone. The sword… I wanted to use it to help everyone."

"Argus, you didn't know what the sword contained! Don't put this on yourse-"

"I know. That's why I'm distancing myself. I don't want to put you all in danger. Promise me, let me charge first, before you do the same. My greed for peace… brought chaos." He flies away, and Rafaela was left dumbfounded.

" _I have forgiven him, but the world will turn his back on him. How much longer does he have to suffer before we accept him?"_

Back to the pair…

Who were laughing over the pictures. For precaution, Hayabusa simply leaned on the wall while Kagura sat on the bed.

"Too funny!" Kagura exhales.

"Yeah, when we made a transparent whoopee cushion and put it on Furukuzi's seat. He doesn't know where, and we had to leave to avoid getting noticed because of our laughing!" Hayabusa chuckles. "Oh, this feels too inappropriate."

"Well needed, however."

"Yeah, yeah, good point, good point." Hayabusa sits beside her, without a slight feeling of nervousness.

Kagura began to speak again, but with a low tone. "Do you remember?"

"What?"

"The last time we saw each other."

Hayabusa couldn't do anything but feel worried. "The playground…"

"The last time we had time to be together, on that swing…"

"You told me then, that we will part ways."

"You had such a funny look on your face. Seriously, you look ridiculous when you're worried."

"Damn, I didn't know how harsh you could be, Kagura," Hayabusa joked.

"Anyway… we were nearly caught back there. We had to hide around the whole city."

"With the risk of us touching… we're stuck in that cramped space in the storage room."

"We were almost caught! The guards were too menacing."

"Yeah… what a nightmare!" Hayabusa swept his brow, perspirating from thinking about it. "Their masks were creepy."

Kagura set down the photo book on the nearby table, and looks at him to her left. "It was really fun back then."

"Yeah… I missed those times." Hayabusa exhales sharply. "No worries back then."

"Yet, here we are, destined to do something that costs our lives."

He looks at her. He still can't believe that he couldn't get used to seeing her face. The same face that gave him hope.

"I want it."

Kagura looked at him quizzically. "Want what?"

"The past. The peace, the quiescence of it all. I don't want to fight anymore."

"If you want it, we have to fight for it."

"All because some edgy lord of evil wants to corrupt the world."

"Hey, we could do nothing about it. We have to adjust."

"I don't want to anymore," he breathes. "I'm tired of adjustments. It's all so tiring, and we barely get rewards."

"Is one step closer to your wish too small for a reward?"

"For me, yes. Because every time I get closer… it always steps back twice as far." Hayabusa recalls the argument they had back in the balcony… what he said to her that left her shocked.

"Don't drown on me," Kagura orders. "It's too early." She grasps his hand, unaware of the fact that...

"I almost can't…"

There are times that our beloved heroes express their pain as they lay alone in their beds and cots, their tears falling from their eyes. You see them as valiant and brave, but they are just like us, no matter how hard you judge them. Who are we to deserve their help…

When we despise who they _were_ , and disregard who they _are_?

Now, you see the perfect example, as you see the two of them at the edge of the bed at point break.

"Things were much simpler then," Hayabusa whispered. "I don't want it to be like this…"

"Don't… fall. Don't. Just this once," Kagura said. "I am here. Don't fall on me."

"I already have. What could we do?"

"Choose. Leave or stay," she said, glaring at his eyes, sadness nagging her mind. He picks the former as their foreheads touch and their eyes close, and they stayed like so for half a minute until it dawns on them.

Rafaela has broken the curse.

Kagura began to hyperventilate, and Hayabusa was dumbfounded. Swiftly, she grabbed the collar of his suit with her fists and rose up, dragging his body and slamming him into the nearby wall with force. Her breathing grew ragged, and multiple thoughts surged through her mind. Hayabusa could barely react, and he felt like he would keel over any second.

"I… I… ugh… How on…" she mumbles indistinctively, barely making any sense. "Haya… I…"

"It… it's just too much…" he mutters. "Kagura, I… I don't know how to put this…"

She punches the wall out of frustration, nearly hitting his head in the process. Her breathing slowed as she slowly leaned on his chest and wrapped her arms around her neck. Hayabusa unknowingly puts it around her.

"Kagura… I…" He wants to let out what he wants to say, but he couldn't. He couldn't release the pain that suddenly resurfaced. He couldn't pull out the invisible spike jutting out of their systems. He tries to hold back his tears.

Kagura slowly removes his hood and mask, revealing his blond hair and fair face. She always liked it about him. As they grew, he didn't change. He became better for her. He never changed, up to the smallest detail. She cups his face with her hand, their foreheads touching.

She said to him, "One thing. Promise me one thing today. Follow… your heart's desire. And no matter the outcome, don't hold back."

Hayabusa's reply?

It took a few seconds for him to process what she said, but at the instant he realized what she meant, he followed suit.

He suddenly pulls her closer and kisses her, forcibly putting her mouth to his, but she didn't care. She didn't care about the pain she felt on her teeth as their lips slammed. As long as he kept his promise, she'll be fine.

She pushes him harder to the wall and pays back the favor, putting her legs around his torso. He cautiously carries as he walks slowly to the bed and lays her there. Hayabusa drops his katana and discards it, as it was becoming a nuisance.

"I… I can't think, I can't-" Hayabusa mumbles, gasping for breath, but Kagura wouldn't let him stop that easily.

"Don't you dare. Don't… you…" she threatens, losing focus. "Don't let go…"

They squirmed around the bed, fixing their position, so that Hayabusa could be leaning on the bed, Kagura sitting on his lap. They pulled away, trying to breathe, but their impulse led them to keep going. Kagura traces his face with her hand as he grips her waist, eliciting moans from her.

"You didn't change," she said, smiling. "You never changed a single thing. I like it," She kissed him lightly, but her mind resurfaces the bad memories from her. Hayabusa could feel the dread. "But… it hurts… it hurts! I… I don't know why it still hurts… Tell me… I need to know! I need… to know! I can't…"

The ninja hugs her as she pounds her fists on his back, but he was hiding the pain he was feeling as well. Every strike dug deep to him, and he forced a brave face.

"We've held it in for too long," he whispered to her, brushing the locks of her hair. "It hurts because you're relieved. It's a good thing. It means… you still care." He wipes the tears off her eyes and looks directly at her face. "We're done suffering, the both of us. We wouldn't have gone far without each other… if it weren't for that."

"How could one night cover a decade?" she asked, her eyes growing heavy.

"Anything that can happen will happen."

She hugs him tightly. "Don't let go of me."

"Why would I? Now it's all over, I'm here to keep my promise. And I promise you… I'll be here alongside you, whatever the circumstance."

"But it's something you won't keep until the end."

"A friend of mine once told me, that those promises are the best ones." He kissed her longingly, and they fell into the trance once more.

And love won… for now. As they lay on the bed and filled the hole in their hearts, love won. As they patched the mark of their suffering…

Love won once more.

(So… how was it?

SAUCY?!

Well, it took me a few days of practice for this, so please bear with me. Also, I'd like to remind the fact that Romance isn't a genre of the story.

Though, I'd let it slip for once and give you this.

But it won't stop there.)

Meanwhile…

(Before I continue, I'd like to say this.

Moonton, you won't gain more money when you put Martis in the original server.

Wanna know why?

Because you killed the God of Immune. And you will lose lots of supporters.

I suggest you bring the immunity dash back.

Or you'll regret it.

I'm being realistic, not threatening.)

Miya is at point break.

"Dammit, how on earth could I confess to him? Argh, this is infuriating!" She punches the nearby wall of the training arena. "Ugh, this would've been much simpler if I hadn't had feelings for Zhao."

Coincidentally, Yun was walking around aimlessly when he saw the archer talking to herself. Out of curiosity, he hides in the corner of the wall and listens.

"Argh, if it wasn't for his handso- Dammit, Miya, why are you saying this?! Anybody could be listening in! Dammit, Dammit!"

" _Wait, what are you even talking about?"_ Zhao thought. _"This is interesting."_

"I'm such a weakling, and I can't even just walk up straight to him plainly and say, 'Hey, Zhao, I like you.' It's just so unfair!"

After hearing that, Zhao appeared from the corner out of impulse. "Wait, you like me?"

Miya turned around and nearly jumped in embarrassment. "W-wait, what… Zhao! What on earth are you doing? Don't tell me you were- Oh, wait… no… no, no, no…"

"Miya, tell me, it's okay," Zhao said, maintaining his face. He wasn't blushing, but Miya was as red as a tomato.

"No, no, it's not like that! I really didn't-"

"C'mon, Miya, just tell me. I don't-" Miya suddenly punched his gut with such force that he almost doubled over.

"You don't what?! Tell me! If you weren't listening in on my monologue… Argh, you're so annoying!"

"Gods above, Miya! That hurt!" Zhao moaned. "Look, alright, I'm sorry for-"

She wasn't listening. Miya kicked his stomach. Sure, that wouldn't be much of an injury, but the internal damage…

"Yeah, you better be sorry! If it wasn't for you holding out the Reapers back there, I wouldn't have had feelings for you! If it wasn't for my friends teasing me about you, then I wouldn't have been pressured to do this! I'm so worked up and embarrassed because I like you, and I don't know how to even tell it to you properly! I…" Miya was furious, but she began to cry. She covered her face, and Zhao, who was struggling to stand, hugged her as she sat down on the ground.

He shushed her, and whispered, "I know."

Miya was shocked. "W-wait… you… knew all along?"

Zhao smiled. "All I wanted was for you to do your part. And besides, I won't kill you for admitting."

"Zhao! You little…" Miya raised her hand to slap him, but it held in the air for a while. She glared at him until the menacing stare turned into one of longing. Slowly, the raised hand cupped his face and she kissed him. It was a short kiss, but it calmed the tension in her.

"See?" Zhao told her. "It was that simple. I was only waiting for your turn to act."

She buried her head on his shoulder. "You're so annoying."

"Annoyingly cute?"

"Shut up."

They hugged for a while, until…

"Oh, crud!"

"What?"

"I forgot my spear! It's somewhere in… oh, wait, it's in Hayabusa's place."

"Oh, yeah, you still have a sparring match with Balmond."

"I don't want to fight the dude with my hands. He's scary. Anyway, I've gotta go!" Zhao gently pulled her out of the embrace and waved goodbye, a smirk on his face. "Don't get too worried waiting for me!"

Miya waved. She wasn't blushing anymore, but she was giggling unconsciously. "He's perfect…"

Zhao panted all the way to Hayabusa's residential place (which is the same residential place he is in. It's just that they have different rooms) and opened the door. If Hayabusa was sleeping or zoning out, he wouldn't call out his name. He raced for his room and rummaged the closet and weapons rack. The spear isn't there. He checked Fanny's room. The rack there contained katanas and maneuver gear. He checked Chou's room. He only sees a couple of sparring dummies. He slowly walks up to Hayabusa's room. He couldn't hear anything because each room was soundproof, but he breathed in slowly and opened the door.

"Hayabusa, have you seen my-"

Okay, guys. I really don't know how to put this.

Seriously.

It would really mean going across the border of Rated T.

So, just try to picture what our beloved never-fading hero saw in that room. I need not specify, just to let your imagination run wild.

But I will say this. Yun Zhao nearly had nosebleed.

The ninja and Kagura were glaring at him in embarrassment, but they remained silent. Zhao notices the spear next to the frame of the door, so with utmost care, he slowly grabs the spear while looking down, because the sight of seeing the two of them in their current position is really… jarring. Anymore would make him suffer permanent blindness.

"So, um… yeah. Thanks for… keeping it safe. I, uh… good luck with that. Hmph, peace, I guess?" The spearman stammered uncontrollably as he closed the door.

"Dammit, he found out," Hayabusa muttered. "I forgot to lock the door."

"Shut up, we only have one night to cover it."

"Okay."

Miya was waiting outside the door of the residential home, and as Zhao opened it, he jumped.

"Augh, Miya! You almost had me back there!"

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. Wait, what's with your face? You're so red."

Zhao knew that if he said a single bit about what he saw in that room, he will be chopped liver. "Uhm, it's better not to talk about it."

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, no, we're safe and sound. It's just that, well… it's not really in my power to tell you."

"Oh, okay. Secrets?"

"Very important. So…"

"It's alright, I understand. Shall we go?"

"Yeah. Pray I won't get butchered this time."

"Sure."

Meanwhile…

"You're a challenge, Gossen," Lancelot said, sparring with the assassin. "Your techniques barely have counters."

"Precision, Lancelot," Gossen answers back. "Believe me, it's not easy to do this." He throws his daggers as Lancelot was engaging in his shadow step stratagem, but it was hard for both combatants to keep the pace. Lancelot casts his dashes and slashes, trying to nick Gossen to prevent him from throwing and returning the daggers. As Gossen was moving around, he was losing patience, as he couldn't hit the knight just for once. In the end, they ran out of energy to fight.

"You're a worthy opponent," Gossen said, shaking Lancelot's hand.

"So are you to me." They rested on the benches when Lancelot opened up a random topic.

"You like Lesley, don't you?"

Gossen scrunched his eyebrows. "What makes you say that?"

"I can tell if someone has liking for someone else by merely looking at their faces. And yes, what I say is true. You may reject it, but it's still your choice."

"You're not playing any tricks?"

"Why would I? We're comrades, Gossen. All I want is your honest opinion."

Gossen thought carefully. "Well… I don't know if you're right and all. I haven't felt it yet. What makes you say that?"

"You didn't become her guardian because you were hired. You volunteered. You seem like the rebellious type, the one who will do anything to prove your worth."

"That rebellious side of mine cost me lots."

Lancelot was puzzled. "Cost what?"

"It's not easy to say."

"It was the same for me when I had to confess to Odette," the knight replies. "It is hard to show our true colors. Take it from me, who so arrogantly took on a party of magical combatants from the Paxley family."

Gossen's eyes widened. "Wait, what family?"

"The Paxley family. Why, seems familiar to you?"

"You didn't recognize me when I went out of the rift, did you?" Gossen was nervous.

"No, why?"

"It was where I belonged to."

Lancelot realized it. "You were in another dimension, Gossen. I didn't face someone like you when I fought that branch."

"Were they infamous?"

"They were. They chose to ransack the Land of Dawn to gain more power. However, I assume yours was kind."

"Kind, but inconsiderate," he spat. "They were one-sided. They believe that those who use brute force are animals and that they are not worthy to be in righteous places. I wanted to prove them wrong by incorporating both might and magic."

"An interesting combination. And then?"

"When I was to be tested, I defeated my opponents faster than anyone, much more my ancestors. But instead of agreeing, they gave me two choices: To stay and discard my techniques, or be banished."

"And you went against them," Lancelot replied. "I am kind of like you, you know? I may not be rebellious, but I was arrogant. I was unmatched; I didn't know my carelessness would mean the end of me. That is, until she came into my life."

"Odette. You really owe a lot to her. She probably taught you those maneuvers," Gossen said, smiling. "It seems we're just the same at some point."

"Small world, my friend. Small world."

Akai suddenly arrived into the scene, puzzled. "Hey, dudes! Have you seen Kagura anywhere? I've been trying to find her."

Cyclops, Harley and Nana barged in as well. Cyclops seemed distressed.

"Hey, Akai! What're you doing?" the feline mage asked.

"Oh, hey Nana! Have you seen Kagura?"

"Last I know, she was back at the residential homes and such," Lancelot replies. "What's the problem?"

"I just have this weird hunch in me, like something… awkward is happening."

Cyclops began to whisper hurriedly to Harley. The fellow wizard's eyes widened and he nodded lightly. He began, "Maybe she needs a bit of free time? I mean, I often see her walking around, so you would probably see her by chance."

"Yeah, yeah," Cyclops added, shaking. "Y-you know? Privacy."

"Hmm, you do seem nervous, Cyclops," Akai pondered. "Are you alright?"

"He just drank too much sugar a few hours ago," Nana answers back, smiling. "He'll be fine."

"Okay then. Gotta go, mates!" Akai sprints aimlessly, still feeling jolly. After he goes out of sight, Cyclops sighs heavily.

"He should not know about it!"

Gossen asked, "Know about what?"

"Don't ask!" Harley stammered. "I-it's none o-of your business!"

"The little dude might've seen something in his hourglass," Lancelot suggests. Gossen quickly dashes out of the seats and grabs Cyclops' hourglass from the back.

"Hey, give it back!" Cyclops commands, but Gossen pushes him away.

"C'mon," the assassin says, curious. He peers into the hourglass. "What kind of secret are you- wait, what in the world?!" Gossen drops the hourglass in shock, turning red.

Lancelot stands up. "Hey, are you alright? What's wrong?" He runs and picks up the hourglass before Nana could pick it up.

"No, Lance! Don't!" Harley pleads.

"Relax, this wouldn't-" Lancelot's eyes widen as he sees the scene before him. He couldn't put his eyes away, but he felt awful watching it as every second passes. He hands the hourglass to Harley in shock, and Harley passes to Cyclops.

"Ugh, now you know!" Cyclops said, infuriated.

"So that's why you intervened," Gossen heaved, hyperventilating. "That's why you didn't want Akai to find Kagura."

"Yeah… traumatizing, huh?"

Meanwhile…

Estes stands on one of the high balconies of the citadel, looking below him.

"You have done well, Estes," Hylos said to him, joining him.

"These heroes will have gained each other's trust. I want it to be that way before the big happening."

"They are willing to sacrifice their lives," the centaur replies, looking at Roger, who was mingling with Ruby happily. "Just for what they love."

"Barely anyone would come back alive after this."

"Hell, it seems like everyone wouldn't. At least, you have fulfilled their wishes to some extent. It's better than doing nothing."

"Hmm. You haven't changed, Hylos. You remain by my side, no matter the shortcomings."

"When did you even have shortcomings? Don't be so hard on yourself. You have done a great job as a king."

"But the people. Many remain disgusted and rebellious."

Hylos looks at the setting sun resting on the horizon. "You can do nothing. Let them learn. One day, they will comprehend."

"Estes, I have news," a voice says. Karina barges in the conversation. "The Ocular Sun has found the final Shard. However, the location makes the future operation trickier."

"We shall see," Hylos says. "Let's go, my liege."

The trio walks down the steps and into the secret underground chambers, where a few heroes were already sitting in the round table, discussing matters. Freya remains silent, sitting down.

"My marksmen are here," Karrie announced. "I will give them their current directions and operations. They will remain on standby to guard the place."

"Our rations are still fine," Bane adds. "We have stocked up enough food to make us last two weeks during the war. A few scouts of mine are dispatched to know more of the Dark Lord's plans."

"I will keep watch on the shores," the general, Yi Sun Shin, volunteered. "If any attack is imminent, my ships will block the way to give time. How about you, Franco?"

"My men will guard the borders. I have given them orders not to attack anything unless given the order. This would prevent the cases of false alarms," the Viking answered. "Ah, the King is here."

"At ease, my brethren," Estes says. "Commence Ocular Sun's report analysis."

The yellow holograms appeared, showing off the real-time presentation of Gaius. The final location was somewhere east of the Land of Dawn, a couple of kilometers away.

"Zoom in," Yi commands. The projection does so piece by piece until it makes the exact location visible. The blip on the projection directs it on an infamous place.

"Keva Infernus," Karina mutters. "Known as 'The Cave that Goes Below.' The gravity in the chambers of that cave keeps altering. In the bottom is the last Dawn Shard. Many have tried to traverse that place, but none have returned, not even a single demon. Why would the Dawn Shard be here in the first place?"

"Someone must've brought it in. Try examining," Hylos suggests. The Ocular Sun reverts the real-time projection and traces each time a traveler enters the said cave. The latest person who went in the cave was…

"Moskov. What would he be doing there?" Karrie asks. They eye the scene as Moskov hurriedly rushes in the cave. Karrie catches a glint from his hand before he goes out of sight. "Hold on, I saw something."

"I saw it too," Freya adds. The projection zooms in even more until the object in Moskov's hand comes into view.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Franco exclaims. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"The Ocular Sun confirms its authenticity. But even with Alice, Vexana and Zhask..."

"Whatever the case, what we saw was true," Estes sighs. "Moskov placed the Dawn Shard there. What we have to find out is why."


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Unrest**

After posting the previous chapter, I immediately worked on this one. I really won't have much to say in this chapter, since it will speak for itself.

So let's start.

Do you, at often times, disapprove of what your government is doing?

No, I'm not encouraging you to become a rebel. All that I'm doing is asking that question. Because it will have a bit of significance for this chapter.

You'd have an appropriate reason to disapprove their work when you know that what they're doing doesn't benefit the country at some sort, or when their words become half-truths, expressing the good side, but not the bad side.

But if you ask me, I am not one-sided. I'd like to be in-between this type of feuds. Because after thorough reflection, I learned one thing.

At some cases, everybody is right in some way, causing an endless chain of attempted exposures against the other group, which is not cool.

Citizens, support your government. Government, hear your people. Do that, there's harmony!

But harmony would be disrupted in this chapter.

Shall we begin?

Fanny was flying around, then she decides to visit Layla and the others. She reaches the residential home and knocks on the door.

"Guys? You there?"

Footsteps were heard, and Bruno opens the door. "Woah, Fanny! I didn't think you'd come here. Come in, come in." He motions her inside and lets her sit on the sofa. "So, how's this place?"

"The Land of Dawn looks neat. Flying around is so easy. However, it's boring to be on guard duty. Barely anything comes in and out," Fanny complains. "Estes has locked down all of the deliveries in and out the place."

"I heard. They're stocking up for the big day. Don't worry, nearly everyone is contributing. A bit more, and we'll gain the upper hand."

"A week and a half before the big bang. By the way, is Saber alright?"

Bruno shrugs. "Well, Layla, Lolita and I were helping out indirectly with Alpha and Johnson, but we aren't informed of his condition yet. Why?"

"I want to thank him for saving me back in the shores. If he didn't jump, I would've been sliced up. But for me, an action such as that seems too reckless for him."

"He does spout out some insane words of wisdom."

"I like that about him," Fanny said, smiling. "He may seem the least emotional, but he is the one who completely understands."

"Don't we all?" Bruno receives an email from Johnson. Through his visor, he views the message. It read:

 _Schematics applied. Repairs completed. Test drive postponed until further notice. You're not allowed to view him yet._

"What's wrong?"

"Saber is done undergoing repairs, but we're prohibited in going into their med bays."

"Phew, that's a relief. It must've taken long for him to recuperate."

"Well, all we know is that he is getting a few minor upgrades. He'll look a lot cooler, in my opinion."

"Hmm, I noticed you're the only one in here."

Bruno looked around behind him. "Um, yeah. Layla is with Clint in the shooting range, Chou is destroying the new dude, Gossen, Alucard is practicing his new skills with Ruby, and the others keep watch."

"So what? You're the… nth wheel?"

"Pfft, nah! One day, I'll get a girlfriend. Maybe."

"Don't tear up, Protector. It's either too soon or too late for that."

Bruno acted as he was choking on his drink. "Hey, shut up. Sick burn, though. Ah, I really want to have a breath of fresh air now. I like, played all of the video games in the console and completed them 100%."

"As long as you didn't hack the system."

"Johnson made the firewalls. What made you think I'd have the bravery to intrude?"

Meanwhile…

"Watch your form," Balmond called out, as he was sparring against Hilda.

"Don't remind me," she groaned, attempting to butt the orc with the end of her axe. Balmond dodged as he spears through her body with his shoulder, pinning him down.

"You're improving." He helps her up.

"Thank you. I still couldn't win against you, though."

"Being an orc of my kind gives us exceptional strength, but I don't want to have that impression to the people."

Hilda nods. "I remember. Your race once fought against the humans."

"A violent war. The Anarchic Century that the Dark Lord forged to break our bonds. When I have heard of it, I never vowed to seek revenge. I was different from most of my men."

"How different? You don't seem like it."

Balmond and Hilda sit down. "My physique shows the ferocity of a Bloodlust Orc, but all I wanted was to align that same ferocity with compassion. To fight for what we hold dear. Unfortunately, to become one of the Orcs, brutal tests and training were required to maintain our reputation… to make us feared."

"They'd disapprove."

"I didn't want to cause destruction. I want to fight for peace and harmony. The leader of my clan picked me on most of the time, often using harsh punishments when I intervened to avoid further executions, which nearly led to torture. In the end, I was forced to fight him, even if that meant being exiled. I won, but I didn't expect my brethren to believe in my philosophy. So, here I am, their leader, their representative."

Hilda smiled. "You're a good leader to them. I saw how you interacted with them like family. When one is in danger, you run to your warriors and rescue them without fear." She looks down on the ground. "If only…"

"Only what?"

Hilda sighed, resting her axe on the ground. "I promised to give my citizens a better place to live. We've tried so desperately, but we had to rely on this place for our rations. You are an inspiration. You proved that you can be fortitudinous whilst being kind and caring. I wanted to be like so, but if I cannot fulfill my people's wishes…"

"At least, you tried. Everybody needs help. That's why we're here," Balmond consoled. "Look at them. They're just like us: people who want to prove their worth."

Hilda looks at the shooting range, where Clint was helping Layla in aiming her cannon better. "Believe it or not, I'm insecure."

"That's something to hear from you," Balmond replies. "How so?"

"Many say I'm ugly."

"Understandable," the orc joked.

"Shut up. It's kind of offensive."

"But have they considered your contribution?"

Hilda was confused. "What do you mean?"

"If they say you're ugly, then what? It's a good thing. If they admire your work, then they love you not because of your looks. They love you for who you truly are. As the saying goes: Better to have one true friend than a million backstabbers."

"Whew, and I thought Saber was the only one who says stuff like that."

"There are still some many things to learn, comrade."

Meanwhile…

"Okay, okay, take it easy. Don't just spam the trigger," Clint says, helping Layla and adjusting her aim. "Slowly… slowly… and… now!"

Layla pulls the trigger, hitting the bullseye with one projectile. "Wait, wait… let me…" She fires again, but misses the other target completely.

"It's not that easy with such a big gun of yours. That thing overheats easily," Clint explains. "However, they're lethal, so your cannon fodder is good for providing cover fire."

"How come it's so easy for you?!" Layla complains.

"Training him isn't easy," a voice answers. It was Roger, smoking a fresh cigar. "He volunteered for the brutal training. And besides, he only trusts his dual revolvers."

"You can never go wrong with Hansel and Gretel," Clint quoted, spinning his guns. "But believe my old man. It's torture to train with him."

"At least I made you one of the best gunslingers in the Wasteland."

"Correction. The _best_ gunslinger in Gaius."

Roger scoffed, chuckling. "Don't be so full of yourself."

Bruno dashes into the conversation with Fanny. "Hey, what's up, you two? Layla, don't tell me you're rooting for him."

Layla exclaimed. "Hey! I was practicing with him! You're just a… wait, what's it called again? Third wheel?"

"We're still calculating," Fanny said. "So many couples around this place."

Ruby and Alucard arrive, holding hands. "Hey, what seems to be the commotion?"

"Nothing much," Roger lies. "How's it, Ruby?"

She smiles innocently. "I'm alright, Pop. Alu here is going along with his new ability."

"Yo, Alu, you're together, right?" Clint asked, pointing at him.

"Aren't you updated?"

"No, I was planning to make you teach rugby boy a few tips and tricks in scoring a woman!" The group laughs, and Bruno was turning red.

"Really?!" Bruno exclaims. "You're all diverting the attention to me!"

"You're the fifth wheel," Alucard points out. "Don't worry mate, you'll score Lolita someday."

"Shut up! I don't even have feelings for her."

Lancelot and Odette got interested in the conversation, so they barged in as well. The knight began, "Everything evolves in due time."

"See?" Roger adds. "Even lover boy said it."

"It really took time to straighten your behavior," Odette said to Lancelot. "You were so stubborn back then."

"I changed for the sake of love, Odette. If anything, I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"Aw, so romantic!" Ruby reacted. Everybody looked at her in shock. "What? It's not like no one would react like that."

"It's the first time I heard you say that stuff," Layla replies. "Oops, Hayagura is here!"

Fanny scrunched her eyebrows. "Hayagura? You mean…"

Both the ninja and the mage teleport to the group's location simultaneously. Hayabusa began, "Don't think I heard you, Layla."

"Sorry, hehe," she giggles. "How're you two?"

"Holding up," Kagura answers, smiling. "It's too peaceful today, though. What're you talking about?"

"Well, if it wasn't for Clint reminding everybody that I have no girlfriend, we wouldn't be standing here to torture me!" Bruno complains.

"To prove your worth, you must give it your all, even if it means your demise," Hayabusa said. "It's not easy, but if it is worth the wait, then wait."

"You're all becoming Saber… spouting off some philosophy here and there. It's coincidence since he is coming back to commission later," Bruno replies.

"Is this another way to divert the topic?" Lolita said, barging in.

"Jeez, you're so horrible."

"We're family, Bruno," Lancelot smirks. "Expect us to be."

Everyone was laughing, a few nearly pounding the ground. Their emotions immediately changed as soon as they heard the alarm.

"An attack?" Fanny asks. She quickly launches a cable to the nearest pillar and flies off.

"Going to Estes," Hayabusa reminded, hugging Kagura for a second. "Be right back." He teleports without a trace.

"Gotta find Akai, then," the mage said as she vanished with her umbrella.

"C'mon, Clint, we need to go!" Roger orders. "Ruby, stay with Alucard." The student and the mentor raced for the exit, hoping to defend a vulnerable passageway.

"Don't worry, I'll keep her safe," Alucard promises. As soon as they ran, Hylos arrived and casted his magical pathways, boosting their speed. A few of his fellow centaurs were with him. Irithel, Karrie, Yi Sun Shin, Lapu-Lapu, Freya, Zhao, Miya and all the others (except for Lolita and the cyborgs) respond, going in a multitude of directions.

"It's too early for the final battle to start," Karina says to Estes. "What's with this?"

"The Ocular Sun says that not even Alice, Vexana, Moskov or Zhask accompany the demons," Freya says, flying in the air with her holographic wings. "I couldn't contact Argus."

"He is in hiding to guard the Shard with Minotaur," Estes replies. "It's better to not cause panic to the citizens. Are the storages locked down?"

"All said and done, my lord," Zhao replies, sprinting faster. "The attack will surround the place, but the amount of demons aren't many. I suggest we minimalize our troops to prevent the enemies from knowing the full brunt of our defense."

"Good idea," Eudora says. "Gord and I will remain in the backline with the other mages. Try not to hold off the enemy too hard. It will make the tenacity of our place obvious. The Dark Lord would have to think twice before attacking."

"Every single one of you now knows your role," Yi Sun Shin answers. "Pick a place to defend and adjust along the way."

"I have spoken with Grock," Sun began, his doppelgangers trailing with him. "He will defend the exterior and drive the demons away."

"Everyone, you know what to do," Miya orders. "Split and find your positions."

All the heroes, along with their accompanied soldiers, split. Fanny flies around and catches an airborne Spitfire, slicing it down. She latches on a wall and scans the situation. The attack surrounds the whole Land of Dawn, but the force didn't seem to be many. However, the demons looked familiar. They were the usual Ravagers, Spitfires, Ghouls, Reapers, etc., but…

They sped even faster.

"Damn, they're insanely fast!" Fanny mutters. "I hope we can hold this off."

Estes, Hylos, Yi Sun Shin, Balmond and Eudora arrives at the main gate. The demons were rushing, and Tigreal led the phalanx to hold them off.

"In the count of three!" Tigreal ordered. "One… two… now!" The group of soldiers pushed with such force and knocked down the demons away. Hylos charged at the same time, causing the demons to scramble around ineffectively and panic. Some leaped over the soldiers to reach the other side, but Estes casts his spells to slow them down and lock them in place, letting the ranged heroes to blast them with projectiles.

"They don't seem to be focused on attacking us," Balmond noticed. "They're aiming for something else. Prevent them from getting in." The orc spins with his axe as Yi Sun Shin went straight through the field with his bow and glaive, multi-tasking in combat. He slices through a landing Spitfire and launches an arrow to a Reaper for Eudora to finish. Balmond cuts through the wave to split off the hordes of demons that were trying to take down the soldiers that were out of reach to receive help. Natalia, who was hiding in the bushes, intervenes, taking on the Ravagers from behind with the golden claw. The horde focuses on her, but Tigreal blocks their way, Hylos responding as well.

In the distance, Grock waved off the Spitfires trying to reach the border. "Pesky flies, stay off!" Fanny flies around, latching on Grock's body as she flew to take on the flying demons.

"Don't hit me, or else!" Fanny threatened. Grock minimized his movement, letting her get a clear path of flight. She spins to catch an unaware Spitifire. Alpha suddenly arrives, flying on Beta. He launches a barrage of bullets and lasers on the airborne pests.

"Need help?" he asks.

"I thought you were busy in fixing Saber," Fanny replies.

"Johnson will take care of the final adjustments. C'mon, let's clear the skies."

In the sidelines, Zhao, Miya, Bane, Franco, Freya, Cyclops, Nana, Lapu-Lapu, Gatotkaca and Rafaela were holding off the Ravagers and Ghouls.

"This is fun!" Bane exclaims, shooting his crab cannon on the Ravagers. "This is target practice for next week!"

"Let me have some of that action, brother!" Lapu-Lapu yells as he raises his twin blades in the air, merging them into one. He slaps the ground, causing a shockwave that puts the demons airborne. "Those who are in my way, die!" He charges through with his greatsword, slashing the Ravagers like mincemeat. Barely anyone could touch him. Rafaela casts healing spells on the wounded soldiers, giving them another chance to fight.

"I'll take care of the Spitfires! Cyclops, Nana, fire!" Miya commands, making the mages focus their attacks on the landing Spitfires. Cyclops' cosmic orbs penetrate through the fliers, shredding them. Nana morphs the nearby demons into cats for Gatotkaca to mercilessly pound. He then launches forth lightning from his gloves, incinerating the newly arriving Hellhounds.

"They're so squishy, like mincemeat!" Franco compliments, hooking a Spitfire for Cyclops to attack.

"It's offensive to slay what is cute," Freya mumbles. "But they're demons, so we have a proper excuse." She stabs a fluffy cat.

"Yo, that's edgy," Zhao snickers, parrying a Reaper. "You had me back there." He flips the monster and stabs it in the back, Franco smashing its head with his hammer.

"Argus won't support us to prevent disorder," Rafaela reminds. "However, we can hold this off. We have to know why they're not focused on us." She looks behind and sees a few stray Ravagers who escaped. The angel feared that they would charge through the houses and kill the residents, but their motive was far worse.

The pathway they were sprinting off to led to the storages.

"They're focusing on the storages in the city!" she warned. "Without the food, we won't last!" She sees Hayabusa teleport and swiftly execute the Ravagers and Spitfires.

"I have them covered for you," the ninja replies. "Kagura, Lesley, Harley and Akai as well. Just hold off as much as you can." He teleports back to Kagura, who was singlehandedly killing the Ghouls.

"Give me some kills, jeez," Hayabusa joked.

"Earn for them yourself, dummy," Kagura replies, laughing. "I'll take this side. Help the others."

"You sure you'll hold out?"

Kagura kissed him lightly. "I'll be fine. Now, go!" Hayabusa nods, teleporting to Lesley and launching his shurikens, slicing through the Spitfires.

"Where's your brother?" he asks.

"With Akai. They'll be fine." A Ravager leaps behind her, but she sidesteps. The monster receives a dagger in the chest, killing it.

"You should watch your back," Gossen warns, landing beside her. "The monsters here are a lot faster now. I'll help you hold the line."

Lesley aims with the scope of her rifle. "I'll be fine. Go to the others." She shoots down a lone Spitfire.

"I volunteered to protect you. Let me do my job," Gossen mumbles. He charges straight to an incoming horde and launches his daggers. He suddenly blinks and casts another set of daggers, shredding the beasts. He spins, and all the daggers returned to him, killing the dozen Ravagers in the vicinity.

"Point taken," Lesley mumbled. "At least give me something to kill." Hayabusa teleports to an empty passageway and slashes through the Reapers that were attempting to break through the gates of the storages. As he looked around, he was surrounded.

"Shadow Kill!" he yelled as he morphs to a shadow, slicing through the Ravagers and Ghouls easily, their corpses covering the place. As he gets out of the state, a Ravager charges the unaware ninja, but Chou dives in and kicks it straight to the wall, paralyzing it. The fighter slams his foot to its head.

"Brutal," he mumbles, pulling off his boot. "Want some backup?"

"Hmph. I didn't ask you to come," Hayabusa scoffed. "Though, thanks." The two were cornered again by another horde.

"Ready or not…" Chou dives straight through one side, setting his fists aflame, punching through the bodies with force. It left cauterized holes on the Reapers, downing them instantly.

Meanwhile…

The remaining were scattering around, protecting the uncovered spots. Karrie and Irithel joined in on the walls of the east side, providing cover fire for the others. Gord was in the backlines of the storage areas, casting mystic fields of damage to prevent the demons from crossing. Roger and Clint were firing their rounds at the Spitfires on the beach. However, the Ravagers were now closing in on them.

"Ever wondered what I told you before?" Roger asks, shooting his shells at a Ravager.

"To shoot you when things go wrong. You never explained that to me, old man!" Clint answers, reloading with insane speed.

"Here's why." Roger leaps and morphs into a werewolf, decimating the Ghouls and land sharks mercilessly. He growls, forcing the Ravagers to scramble.

"Pfft, I had a hunch," Clint muttered, helping out Roger. He twirls around, emptying his clips as the demons closed in. He kicks a Ghoul and slams its skull with the butt of the revolver, leaving a bloody dent that knocks it down. "I hope Layla applies what I taught her today."

Meanwhile…

"Another day to whack skulls!" Sun cheered as he and his doppelgangers went to work. They took care of the horde singlehandedly. The demons scrambled to determine the real Monkey King, but it was no use. (Their perception was limited. Seriously, what made you think they can sense the real Sun?)

Sun was confused, because he found out only he and his doppelgangers were holding off the hordes. "Hey, where is Gord when I need him? Hey, Big Blue!" The warrior saw the mage locking himself down with a static field to shield him from the Reapers.

"A bit of help, dimwit!" Gord pleaded. "If we are going to hold out, you'd need to help!"

"Yeah, yeah, on it." Sun and two of his clones whacked off the Reapers one by one. A Ravager hits a clone, turning it to smoke. The monster was confused, until Sun slammed his cudgel on the spine, killing it.

"They are going for the supplies," Gord explains. "We would have to prevent them from going further. Forcing them to a choke point would help."

"There are no choke points in this wide open area, Gord."

"Then we would have to improvise." The pair finds themselves surrounded by Hellhounds.

"Ready?" Sun asked.

"Almost…" Gord concentrated the ball of arcane magic on his hands. Sun was covering the demons' field of view. "… Now!"

The Monkey King charged forth with his doppelgangers, making the Hellhounds panic. As they ran in the same direction, Gord released a wide laser of death at their path, just long enough to avoid the infrastructure beyond.

Meanwhile…

"Alpha, I will go help my friends," Fanny said, slicing off a Spitfire in her path.

"Go ahead. Come back if you can." Fanny flew around Grock and into the residential areas, where the demons were clamoring to reach the underground supplies. Lolita, Layla, Bruno, Lancelot, Odette, Karina, Ruby and Alucard slay the demons that come forth. It was fortunate that the demons weren't really into fighting them, but they were fast, making them harder to kill.

"I'll run around the passages to nick them down," Karina suggests. She runs off performing her dance of death, her twin blades slicing through the hordes cleanly. She sprints to the alleys and slashes down the demons in her way.

"She'll be fine," Lolita reminds. "All we have to do is hold down this sector. And, of course, make sure everyone remains unharmed."

"Even I am having trouble chasing them!" Lancelot complains. "Pesky as hell!" He stabs through a Hellhound and dashes through the body of a Reaper. Odette casts her spells, keeping the demons in place. The resonating high notes deafen the sensitive ears of the Hellhounds, but the Ravagers barely flinched. Ruby slashes through the charging demons with her scythe, wiping the blood from her face. Bruno trips around the Hellhounds and kicks to the Spitfires for Layla to shoot down a lot easier.

"Ha, Clint was right! I keep hitting them because I don't spam the trigger!" Layla cheered. She was laughing as the Spitfires tried to come close to her, but her projectiles were restricting their flight patterns.

"Don't get cocky now," Alucard mutters. He cuts down the Ravagers and Hellhounds, but as every minute passes, the others noticed that they were no longer focusing on the storages, but on the Demon Hunter.

"Alucard, they're forcing you to unlock your powers!" Ruby warns. She rushes beside him and keeps the demons off him, hoping to avoid triggering the event. Yinsen suddenly arrives and throws his Molotov cocktails at the Ravagers, but Alucard stopped him on his tracks.

"Yinsen, don't. We don't want collateral damage. You can use your guns."

"Sure thing, mate." Yinsen grins, bringing out his pistols, shooting down the hordes. A Reaper nearly claws behind him, but Tuk lands his axe on the Reaper's skull. Hilda and a few of her best warriors ran to their aid, preventing more monsters from going further.

"A little bit more, everybody! Come on, don't be a jelly!" she commands, leading the push. The demons began to scramble, trying to find an exit, but they were overran. They began to run off. Alucard attempts to chase them, but Lancelot grips his arm.

"You've done much now, bro," he said. "Let them run. Not only are they aiming for the storages. They also want to learn of our defenses, most especially you."

A roar resounded throughout the place, and Layla eyed the cerulean protodrake swooping down to feast on the remaining monsters, causing a wilder frenzy. A few civilians who were securing their houses immediately panicked. A man tried to grab Yinsen's pistol and shoot it down, but Ruby intervenes. Unfortunately, the bullet hit the beast, but it didn't even flinch, the bullet merely ricocheting to the sky. The protodrake stopped its assault and immediately turned its head at the shooter.

The man, hyperventilating, kept emptying the clip, but the protodrake slowly walked, focusing on him. "No, no, why won't this thing die?!"

Before the protodrake could open its jaws, Alucard went in between and put his demonic arm on the forehead.

"Okay, okay, easy! Don't, okay! He's a friendly. He mistook you for an enemy," he said. "Try to drive off the other monsters, alright?"

The man ignored this and attempted to whack Alucard in the head with the pistol, but the beast tapped the man's body, immediately making him trip on the ground.

"No, no, please don't kill me, please!" the man pleaded, but the black flames of the protodrake glowed from its throat. Estes interrupts this as he casts a silencing rune to the protodrake.

"Don't hurt the civilian!" he orders. "Restrain yourself. Go back to fend off the demons." The protodrake regains its right mindset, immediately flying off to take down the Spitfires clamoring around Alpha and Fanny.

The man clumsily stood up, pointing the empty gun at Estes. "You! You… why are you using these types of allies! They are evil! You're a paradox! Y-you, should be o-overthrown!"

"Calm down," Bruno said. "Relax. Estes has a proper reason for recruiting us. Why on earth did you even attempt to shoot the-" A stone hits Bruno's head, causing it to bleed. He yelps in pain, a mild concussion looming over him. He dashes behind. The stranger flees, retreating to the houses.

"What the…" Lolita sees the residents coming out of the houses one by one, throwing stones and whatnot at them. "Okay, this is going downhill by the second!" She raises her holographic shield, covering Layla and Odette. Alucard raises his greatsword to shield himself from the stones. He seemed to be the main target of the residents. Estes casts a static wall around them to block off the projectiles.

"I don't want no civil war in here!" Victor breathes out, holstering his gun. "Quick, let's fall back to the main entrance of the castle!"

The other heroes went to the group's position, barely scathed. Hayabusa asked, "Hey, what's going on? The citizens aren't going rogue, are they?" Squadrons of Royal Guards went to the frontlines, using their big shields to cover the stones. A woman suddenly brought out a shotgun and tried to shoot down the static wall, but the shells stopped as soon as it came into contact. Nevertheless, a few, namely Nana and Cyclops, panicked.

"Hey!" Balmond said. "Stop whatever you're doing!" He nearly goes past the wall, and Hylos had to yank him away.

"Don't!" the centaur ordered. "You'll only provoke them more! We need to find out who caused this!"

Meanwhile…

In the med bays, Johnson and Saber stayed put.

"There you go! The final add-ons are complete!" Johnson announced. "All we have to do is to let the new systems mix in with a few of your old ones. That way, we wouldn't have to sacrifice your memories and old combat techniques. Old dog, new tricks." The swordsman didn't reply. He stood in the darkness in utter silence, never moving.

"Hey, bro? Why so silent?" Johnson asked, setting his wrench aside. "What's the-"

"The citizens."

"What about them?"

A slow whirring came from Saber's new visor. "They're going against us."

"What?" Johnson checks the surveillance feed, noticing the violent rallies that were uncalled for occurring in the main entrance of the citadel. Estes and the other heroes held their ground behind the static wall. The citizens wielding guns were aiming at Alpha, who was in the air. "You've got to be… We have to go now!"

"Don't," Saber replied, clenching his fist. "Not yet. Let them learn. If they keep this up…"

The tank grabbed his wrench, prepping his intervention. "What are you saying, dude! We have to go!"

"If they see you, they will most likely urge themselves to intensify their demonstrations."

"But-"

Saber turned to face him. "Have you once asked in your whole life if the people we protect even deserve our help?"

Johnson stopped in his tracks. He looked at his newly upgraded companion. Saber looked insanely different, much less human. Johnson feared if the upgrades made Saber lose his morality. "Um… no."

"No matter your answer, justice will be blind, not heartless. Nevertheless, remember what we are fighting for. It is all right to question, but it is not about what they deserve. It's about what they need." Saber stepped out of the dark, showing himself. "I will stay. If they won't learn… I'll force them to."

Going back to the rallies…

"Ugh, I thought it wouldn't get worse," Bane discusses with Franco, hiding from the view of the crowd. "Look at this! Most of the citizens, if not all, are pushing through with this rally. The ones who still side with us don't even have the courage to stand up for themselves."

"It's best if you keep yourself hidden with me and the others," Balmond suggested. "Communities, no matter the people, have common mindsets. They regard us as warmongers of some sort. Even a few of Alucard's friends are being framed and such."

"I hate being a sitting duck in the castle," Roger huffs. "Now that they've seen what I can do…"

"We have no choice," Sun sighs. "We have to find a way to calm them down. I don't want to resort to using my cudgel. Lucky for Grock, he can leave if he needs to."

Outside the citadel, Estes and the other heroes with positive reputations were trying to make peace with the citizens.

(It is not that easy. How can you soothe the heads of… I don't know… tens of millions of people? The files are being inaccurate here, in terms of numbers/population.)

"Everyone, calm down!" Estes commands. "We don't have to use violence. Use your voice to proclaim your ramblings."

An old man steps forward in response. "You! You use a dragon to fend this place! I thought they were symbols of evil and greed! Have you lost your mind?!" The crowd jeered, throwing their stones again. Some threw trash on the steps.

"It was a protodrake we found in one of our expeditions," Tigreal explained. "It was guarding an important artifact necessary for our victory. We understand if you feel confused, but hear us out."

"Hear you out?!" a woman exclaims. "My husband risked his life to join your foolish escapades! If it weren't for you, he would be standing here with me!"

Layla spoke. "Your husband wasn't forced to work with us! If anything, it would be his decision! We never asked for you to fight!"

"Argh, I hate stuff like this!" Lesley said to Gossen in the balcony. "Civil conflict is the least that we're supposed to worry."

"It's actually what we have to focus on right now," the assassin contradicted. "If not, we've already lost the war."

"Good point." Lesley eyes Alpha flying towards them.

"It's very bad," the cyborg says. "Beta is getting annoyed. I am practically the only thing preventing her from shooting them down." He then eyes Johnson on the ground, arriving in the scene. He watches over the citizens through the static wall. Alpha flies down to greet him.

"Hey, what took you so long?"

"The schematics were too complex," Johnson sighed. "Saber won't be going out for now. He has to keep watch silently over the situation."

"This is bad. They're really mad."

Harley, along with Nana and Cyclops, huddled behind, fearful.

"C'mon, guys, be brave!" Harley said, trying to cheer them up. "We've fought demons. They're just people!"

"People who really have a bad view on us," Cyclops jitters. He uses his hourglass, trying to get a glimpse. "If only this thing wouldn't be so stubborn…" The glass shifts the reflection and shows a scene. "Yes! For the first time!"

"What is it?" Nana asks.

"My hourglass is showing me something! I hope it's good…"

(Let me ask you this.

Is there anything that's ever good showing up in relapses and dreams?

Barely.)

Cyclops sees it and drops the hourglass in shock. He hides behind Harley, shivering.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Harley grabs it, but he only saw his reflection. "Hey, Cyclops!"

The mage could merely stammer. "Everyone… we… they…"

"We what?" Nana asked, nervous.

"We're all dead… So dead…"

"Dude, we are! To the citizens! They'd stone us as soon as they saw us!" Harley joked.

"No, Harley! I swear, this is not a joke! I saw it with my own eye… Lancelot… Odette… Alucard… they…"

"Cyclops, calm down. Breathe," Nana comforted, grasping his hand. "Explain slowly."

"Lancelot and Odette will die, right? Their blood… littered on the ground… they were shredded, I couldn't… I barely recognized their faces… and Alucard…"

"What about him?"

"He will lose it. He will turn into something else when he uses that power of his!" Cyclops breathed out. "We mustn't let him use it too much, or we lose him!"

"Lose what? Cyclops, you're not making much sense."

"His sanity… his sanity… don't you know what happens if his emotions get out of hand?! He turns back into what he's meant to be… And I don't-"

Harley realizes it. "So, you're telling us…"

"If he keeps on using it, the demonization process continues. As for the lovers… They will die in the war, somewhere… before _Argus_ can save them."

(That's one huge clue for that stanza in the poem. Analyze.)

"Got any ideas?" Hylos asks Estes.

"I have never thought this would happen," Estes said, dismayed. "Either way, we have to pacify them. And there's only one way to do so." He turns around to the other heroes. "Everyone! We will take down the static wall."

"Are you kidding me?" Akai exclaims. "They wouldn't hesitate to shoot us down!"

"Well, it would be the least that they'd expect," Ruby thought. "We'd have to try unconventional plans."

"Make it so," Lancelot said.

Everyone else nod in agreement. Estes holds out his hands and slowly drags them down, lowering the static wall bit by bit. A few civilians aimed their guns and armed themselves, but their supposed officers held their fists up, preventing them from firing. As the static wall disappeared, neither side made a move.

"If we go against each other, we will lack unity," Alucard says to them. "Most of what you think are bad have changed. We wouldn't make such decisions without consideration. If we continue this anarchy, we will be dead meat to the demons, and we can't allow that. It's not like we're going to back down without a fight."

A few of the civilians from the distance silently nodded in agreement, but a man stepped forward. "You're the Demon Hunter! You hunt your own kind?! Why would they take you in?!"

"Rumors will get us nowhere!" Chou yells. "Has anyone of you learned about a demonization process? He underwent that!"

"Then why isn't he dead yet?!" The civilians changed their mentality in a heartbeat and started jeering again. Suddenly, the flapping of wings could be heard, and Argus landed on the spot. A few civilians fled in fear, but most stood their ground.

"An angel's ichor can stop the process," Argus began. "I gave him the ichor."

Rafaela went up to him. "Argus, what are you doing?!"

"I have to do this," the fallen angel answers. He then turns to the crowd. "You may not believe my words, but I have changed for the better. If I wanted it, all of you wouldn't be standing here. If you need any clarifications, we're open. If you wish to be informed, then we will do so."

Everyone thought hardly. Freya and Zhao stood their ground with Miya, their minds racing. Alucard slowly eyed the people. He spots someone in the balcony of a house, crouching…

He notices the red dot on Estes' cloak.

"SNIPER!" Alucard yells as he dives to keep Estes out of the firing range, if not, save the king by blocking the bullet with his own body. The gunshot could be heard and the bullet hits Alucard's demonic arm, simply deflecting off, making a hole on the palace walls. Lesley eyed the shooter and disabled the gun by shooting the rifle's frame. The protesters brought out their guns and started shooting. Lolita, Johnson raised their shields. Out of shock, Estes couldn't concentrate in casting the static wall again. The shooters rallied bit by bit and the heroes had no choice but to defend themselves WITHOUT engaging the people in combat. Argus goes in front of Estes, protecting the king with his wings.

(It's like going to a boxing match with both hands tied behind your back.)

"I detest war!" Lolita yelled, deflecting the bullets with her shield. "Wouldn't all of you listen for a second?!"

"Argh, this is pointless!" Layla mutters as she brings out her gun. Rafaela puts it down quickly.

"This is not time to do that, Layla. We need peaceful intervention!"

Odette eyes a child trying to cross the space between them and the protesters, being held back by his mother. "Look!"

Chou catches her words and follows, and realized that the boy she was pointing at was the same boy he saved back in Eruditio. The kid breaks loose and runs frantically, racing for Estes. Noticing this, Johnson tries to run and protect the child. A gunman sees the tank and shoots him down, but a stray bullet hits the boy's leg.

"No!" Johnson gets to the boy, crying in pain. The bullet didn't pierce through the boys leg, but it did cut from the outside, the gash letting loose a moderate amount of blood. Estes casts his healing rune at the boy's leg, letting it heal.

"It's okay, buddy!" Chou comforted, his mind racing. "It's me, the dude who kicked that ugly monster sky high! If anyone hurts you, we'll catch 'em!" On the inside, he was in the verge of tears.

Suddenly, Kagura catches a faint supersonic boom.

"What was that?" The civilians stopped and began to clamor for themselves.

Fanny looked around in confusion. "A jet?" The flier looked for Alpha, who was just a few feet away from her. He may be wearing his visor, but the nervous expression on his face was obvious.

"It's no jet," Bruno said. "It's…"

Everyone heard the breaking of the sound barrier, and a miniscule dot catches Yi Sun Shin's eye. The dot grew bigger as it went closer, and as it did, everyone saw the figure, resembling an eagle.

But it wasn't organic or anything. It was mechanical. The figure transforms bit by bit, its mainframe independently changing. The huge booster on the bottom became its legs, the metallic wings readjusting. The huge gold feathers spread out, and the eagle became a humanoid robot, its striking gunmetal palette and light blue hue drawing attention.

The head of the figure was a full helmet with two yellow slits and a pair of antennae. The body was made of full titanium and gold, barely a scratch visible on the armor. The humanoid stood in front of Argus.

"Wait..." Natalia asked. "Is that…"

"Yes," Johnson replied. "It's Saber."

Saber's feathers dislodged from the wings' exoskeletal system, flying independently. The frame folds on his back, and the twelve feathers angled its sharp edges straight at the crowd. They weren't just feathers.

They were swords.

Saber stood in silence, his systems analyzing the situation. All he had to do was to disable the weapons without harming anyone. However, he had to protect his friends. That was the primary objective.

His new systems were enhanced, giving performance more than twice as better than his old mainframe.

"I… am reborn," he said, his voice much less human. His voice resembled Argus' for its resonance. "All of you! Discontinue this outrage."

The civilians didn't think twice and fired at him, the bullets simply deflecting off his armor. He walked slowly, and a sword flew straight to the crowd, cutting through the weapons held by the protesters. One by one, his swords flew around, disabling the weapons when he had the chance. Two remained on his back, and he grabbed them with his hands. The yellow blades sparked with electricity.

"Saber!" Bruno cheered, dumbfounded. "You're… you've changed!" Saber didn't respond and focused his counterattack at the civilians. He eyes the gunman that hit the boy and charged straight through him, pinning him down. Out of fear, the gunman raises his hands.

"No… please, don't… I'm sorry that…"

Saber's eye slits glowed angrily, but he didn't say a word. No words can describe his frustration, anyways. A bullet deflects of his armor, and a sword slices the assailant's gun in half.

The civilians were panicking, and were trying to flee. However, the swords flew on the edge of the area and whirred, generating a static field locking the civilians in place. In a wide circle, everyone was tightly secured. Saber walked back up the steps, the crowd nervously eyeing his movements.

Lolita couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Noumenon and Malefic Energy working together…"

"What?" Layla asked.

"The two most volatile energy sources working as one to power his core. I can't believe the outcome would be… as perfect as this."

"Everyone, behold the scourge of your wrath," Saber began, pointing at the injured boy. Half the heroes outside was attending to it, while everyone else is inside witnessed the scene. "Behold the outcome of your misconceptions."

An angry woman marched up. "The misconceptions you impri-" Suddenly, Saber slapped her down to the ground, silencing her.

"You let your ears shut! We didn't mind, that was true. We didn't mind because you thought that our security diminished your personal spaces, but you're wrong! We've prevented the enemy from ransacking your homes, but one small mistake from us is already enough to fuel your frustration against us!"

The crowd maintained their faces, which made the cyborg impatient.

"All of you, all of you wouldn't listen. We feared that one day this event would hinder our progress. You all think that without us, this place would be in safer hands. But no! The situation will only grow much worse."

"What makes you think you have the right to give us a sermon?" a protester complained. "My parents died adhering to their morality of joining your crusades! My brother lost his life from the monsters! It's all your fault! How come you can guarantee our safety if all of these incidents are always happening?!"

Saber looked at the man. "What makes you think you have the right to complain about our roles?" Most of the civilians muttered to themselves, a commotion slightly growing. "What makes you think… you can simply judge us from who we were before?"

The cyborg looked at Natalia. "A friend of mine once told her companions that in this point in time, the past no longer defines who we are. It's what we do that counts." The female assassin was caught aback, and was blushing in embarrassment.

Saber then turned his head back to the civilians. "When the Royal Guard was established, the people then cheered for their name, their motto echoing the streets. Now, you detest them, because you fear they have gone beyond their code, but that's all a lie. Only people of noble hearts deserve a spot in our military, nothing less, nothing more. You mourned for the deaths of your loved ones, but you lay the blame on us, even if there is no one to blame. It was their choice to serve the Land of Dawn… a choice they shall never regret. To me, they are heroes, while all of you are merely citizens."

"If it wasn't for the rally of the Royal Guards, we would have wavering hearts as we witnessed their sacrifices in the battlefield. Without their inspiration, our minds would have forced us to fled in terror. I once believed that we would not need a catastrophe to align ourselves with others, but from what I am seeing, this is already impossible."

The other heroes could barely speak.

"I wish to have his fortitude to pronounce his thoughts," Eudora said to Gord. "He is mechanical in nature, but his soul is as human as it could ever be."

"It cannot be outmatched," Minotaur replies. "He defied it all."

"To face the Dark Lord and triumph, we had to cast aside all of our personal ramblings and fight as one," Saber continued, his swords slowly returning to him, taking down the static field. "Humans, Orcs, Elves, Titans, Valkyries, Angels, Sorcerers, anyone you could think of. We didn't have to fight valiantly, because our rally back ensured a landslide victory. Multiple readjustments were made to make sure our connections and peace maintained, but when the foundations grew weak, the Dark Lord has decided to strike us here and now. Evil has ways of filling every crevice and suffocate the living essence of our humanity, but when the light floods, all the suffering flees. All of you, we have desperately tried to protect, the future of this land, even if you disagree with our methods, for we know it's the right thing to do."

He walks to the boy, who has already healed his leg completely. Saber gently grabs his hand and helps him walk down the stairs. "This child wanted to drive out the negative thoughts you beheld upon us. His innocence remained. To let traumatic events affect his thinking would be a disaster for everyone else. All because you thought that overthrowing us would ease everything, but all you've done is complain." The cyborg's voice cracked.

"All you've done is complain rather than go fight the real enemy! Never complain that you've lost what you've held dear, because the people behind me have suffered much worse, same as I. You have no right to judge us, because you're afraid to go to the frontlines to fight for a worthy cause. Admit it." Saber looked at his friends, who were expressing themselves in a depressed manner. The swords bunched together into feathers, and his wings folded. "Take it from someone merely half a man, yet full of heart… Someone willing to die alongside his friends." The crowd was silent, but a few were crying. Saber slowly walked up the steps, everyone looking at him.

"Dude," Alpha began, touching his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

He replied, "Every day, I'd ask if all of this is for nothing. I'm done fighting without worth. I'm done clashing aimlessly. If given the chance, I'd leave immediately. We don't deserve this, and they don't deserve our help. But I will fight, because it's not about deserve." Saber walks inside and closes the gates, leaving a baffled crowd and an amazed group of friends.

Meanwhile…

Okay, I'll have to intrude for a while.

Do you know how it feels like being blamed for not making a good school project even if you and your groupmates have tried your best?

That's what Saber felt. He felt frustrated that everyone had to judge him and the people around him. He was mostly anti-social, but he was probably the philosopher of the group. His words can silence people as good as his swords.

Never be judgmental. However, I don't believe in this saying.

" _Before you judge, make sure you're perfect."_

Because no one is perfect.

We have to rephrase the line.

" _Before you judge, make sure you are obliged. Make sure your words aren't too critical. Words are as comforting as pillows, yet as sharp as knives. They comfort and pierce souls. Choose them wisely."_

There, that's better.

" _Hey, Arcturus? Why give out some morals?"_

Well, I wanted to give worth to this story.

Hey, it's not like I'll make some worthless FanFiction that you'll simply forget when the time comes you have finished reading it.

Always remember to give meaning to everything. Sure, this can be a pain, but remember Lolita's quote…

" _A painless lesson is also meaningless."_

For some reason, these heroes are more human than we are in their background histories. Sure, some have insanely bad background writing or gruesome history, but that's not the case. We often like a character because of what he/she says, and what they do.

I won't make you hate a single one of these heroes.

Well, probably the antagonists… because some most **all** of our beloved heroes fighting valiantly for honor, peace and love in this unsung tale of the Land of Dawn… will die.

Yes. There are deaths.

That's inevitable.

(And yes, I was thinking this up. That's why there are scratched off words.)

I mean, Lancelot and Odette's deaths _are_ confirmed, but you don't know when. We don't know when people will die. But since I am kind, I will give you this warning to keep your soul ready.

And please, don't discard this story when your favorite character dies. Because a lack of character deaths is unrealistic.

And no, a character's death won't seem obvious here. Well, some.

Also, to inform you, I am nominated for this international math competition that will commence in the next few months, so my summer will be sacrificed by a month of training for it, so my posting will lag.

C'mon, don't groan. Being in one of these events is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I won't back down, but I won't let you guys down. You are what fuels me to write this story from these annoying files.

I also noticed that no one is complaining about why I am relying on a bunch of foreign, corrupted files to write my story.

Anyway…

"Its name was 'Project Monsoon'," Alpha began. "A prototype program invented by the scientists who created Saber. It featured numerous enhancements into our systems, in case things go south. Conflict was tearing up the dimensions then, and the scientists wanted to make the ultimate weapon to silence the chaos. An angel of death that lacked humanity designed to save humanity. Only Saber had the blueprints for the project. If he did undergo the process, his new codename would be 'Storm'." The cyborg was explaining this to Alucard and his friends.

"You didn't use it… until now," Chou pointed out.

"Our recent discoveries of Noumenon and Malefic Energy gained us an edge, but we had many setbacks to deal with, mainly memory loss."

"Injecting the new systems will wipe the old ones," Layla said. "To preserve Saber's memory and soul, we had to physically extract and contain them separately, and inject them after the new mainframe and systems were installed. Someone's soul and memory is absolutely delicate, so we asked not to let anyone else interfere with the work."

Lolita added, "When they went to Rooney to remodel Beta in another dimension, they also asked for help in perfecting the program. After some tedious arrangements, ta-da! A new Saber."

"With memories intact," the swordsman replied. "Nothing has changed. These new add-ons, however… seem odd."

Ruby raised her hand. "So, he can fly now, right?"

"The wings were my idea," Johnson popped. "If Saber would be more efficient, he must take to the skies. We wouldn't want the same mistakes occur to him. His swords also act as his feathers, and his wings twist and turn completely, 100% adjustable to adapt to both flight and combat. Not only that, the volatile energy each sword possesses can make static fields and immense energy waves. He needs to get used to it, though."

"You don't say," Alucard muttered. "Without him, we would've been chopped liver."

"I didn't save you. My impulse did the work," Saber replied. "My actions dealt a huge risk, but the disorder was pacified. You haven't seen what I could fully do."

"Oh, one more thing," Bruno began. "'Project Monsoon' also had a prototype 'Overdrive' mode embedded in its databanks. It's a last resort, like Alucard's powers. It maximizes Saber's combat potential, but both the mainframe, system and hardware won't take all the hyper-activity in."

"What does that mean?" Ruby asked. "He becomes a ticking time bomb?"

"A ticking time bomb that sets off while it's running. That means he has an unconfirmed amount of time before he breaks."

"And after that?"

Saber replied, "I will die, like any other. Never fear. I may be prepared to use it, but I won't risk such actions. Besides, the system will override and wipe my memories just to give more space to combat enhancements."

Alucard said, "Why do I have this sick feeling that he's going to use it when the time comes?"

"Let's hope not." The cyborg looks at the Demon Hunter. "The reason why it took long for your half-sister to realize that you two had the same father was because of the other alias of Rooney… Leinster. The name he imprinted in her mind over time. All to keep this a secret. I hope you understand.

Saber extends his wings and powers up, flying quickly into the horizon.

"That's fast," Chou grinned. "Gonna have tougher sparring partners to face. C'mon, Bruno, I am sure there are donuts in the house."

"Hey!" the Protector warned. "Make sure you didn't eat my chocolate coated ones! Those are extremely rare, you know!"

Lolita tapped his shoulder. "Bruno, Chou only likes the munchkins."

"Wait, really?"

The group bursts into laughter, leaving an embarrassed Bruno.

"Aw, jeez, dudes! First, the training grounds, and now here in the steps of the citadel. C'mon!"

"Yo," Johnson barged. "Bruno, when will you confess to Lol-"

"SHUT IT!" Bruno ordered. "I already told you that I don't have feelings for her!"

Alpha smirked. "To tell you the truth, Beta's telling me otherwise. You may reject, but the feeling is there, even I you don't know."

"Do you think confessing is easy?!" Bruno complained.

"We know it isn't," Lolita said. "That's why we're giving you time. It's not easy, but if it's worth the wait, then wait."

(What is funny here is that Johnson literally almost said Lolita's name, while the elf is completely unaware of the fact that she was the one being talked about. XD)

Layla switched the topic. "Speaking of which, Hayabusa got back with Kagura again, right? When did they…"

"Get back together?" Alucard asked. "A week and a half ago… maybe."

"WHAT?!" the gunner exclaimed. "And I only learned about it three days ago?!"

"He told me that they were keeping it low."

"Makes sense," Alpha noted. "Everybody would freak out if they touched again. I was shocked to randomly see the two of them making it out in a dark alley."

"Really?!" Chou asked.

"Hey, if you're thinking of any naughty business, let me inform you that I wiped my camera feed of it to maintain privacy."

"I wasn't. C'mon, Bruno, let's get those donuts."

Meanwhile…

Freya hurriedly flies back to the Citadel with news. She ignored the melancholy civilians below her, barely eyeing her in the sky. She landed on the main gates and ran to the underground chambers, where Estes was examining the Ocular Sun.

"Estes!"

The Elven King didn't look up to see her. "Now, now, Freya. I am still examining Moskov's former whereabouts."

"Wait, listen to me! The Lords-"

Estes immediately looked up. "What about them?"

"They demand your presence… along with a handful few."

 _ **ALERT! UNAUTHORIZED TRANSMISSION PLAYBACK DETECTED.**_

 _(The camera feed shows a [DATA EXPUNGED] room, and a fully clothed figure adjusting seat to face the monitors, his face completely covered, barely exposing a patch of skin._

 _The date reads… 09/04/[DATA REDACTED].)_

" _I am making this transmission for those who seek the truth."_

 _(The figure rubs his gloved hands, feeling nervous.)_

" _I almost quit in progressing with this story. Yeah, yeah, the game is losing its taste. I really don't know what the developers are actually doing, and I hate that their screwing up so much."_

" _It's almost like I'm trying to seek perfection here, or a different type of polish for the franchise."_

" _But as we plummet further… we stray from hope."_

" _Absolutely 95% of my brain tells me to stop doing what it thinks is 'nonsense'. The other 5%? It says otherwise. And I'm sticking to the latter."_

" _There is no other way to tell you the truth rather than writing a story such as this… A story that breaks the boundaries of the universe itself."_

" _Over the passing time, you will now receive transmissions and puzzles wedged into the upcoming chapters, and all will not cease until I say so."_

" _Time is short. The cosmos call me. Someone will guide me as soon as they come…_

 _My guide that will show me, and you, the truth."_

" _Unfortunately, now is not the time."_

 _(The figure sighs slowly, checking his phone. He puts it down and looks back at the camera.)_

" _This is [DATA EXPUNGED], and I am the [DATA CORRUPTED]."_

 _([DATA EXPUNGED] deactivates the monitors and exits the room, a bright light illuminating from the other side.)_

 **WITNESS.**

 _ **(End of Transmission)**_


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: That Which is Below…**

Warframe.

It is a successful PC game where I spend most of my time with now when I don't get to play Mobile Legends. (Actually, I barely even play MLBB.)

It's completely free, unlike those AAA games with developers that shamelessly lock their content behind paywalls (Yes, EA, Ubisoft, Activision and Bungie. I'm dissing at you.). The Warframe player community is absolutely non-toxic. The developers are always open to the community, allowing this utopian feeling of being in a gaming world where everything is possible. If you are a PC gamer, I suggest you play this game.

(Everything in the game is absolutely free. Everything can be acquired merely by playing the game.)

So… why did I bring this one up?

The game was everything I dreamed of, and I wanted MLBB to be that way. Perfection at its finest, a consistent, radiant gem that rewards those who brave the treacherous rocks to carve it out of its place. Unfortunately, I had to accept the ugly truth.

Which is why I lost my passion for writing this story.

The longer I stayed, the more problems I saw. The developers kept nerfing my favorite heroes, leaving me like a frustrated mess. I had utter disgust with the meta-heroes.

The developers lacked consistency.

Yet, here I am. Polishing up the story, adding more content.

I can't remember how many times I tried to punch a nearby wall whenever I overthink about the condition of the game itself, and how my dream of it being like Warframe would never happen until a miracle happens.

However, I knew that there were some who are absolutely caring for Mobile Legends, those who are sincere and trustworthy, dedicated to at least suggest ways to improve the game… even if they aren't developers.

The only thing fueling me are your positive reviews and such… and I am running low.

A spark of hope feeding off of its user's own oxygen to keep both alive.

That's when a user named 'thelittletaco' made his/her long review.

Kind sir/ma'am, you cannot believe how my spirits rose when I saw your review. I knew you were one of the significant few I aforementioned earlier. I sucked at drawing, though. XD

' _The pages are my canvas; the files, my inspiration; the keyboard, my paintbrush.'_

Thank you for the review, thelittletaco!

Also, you might have been creeped out by the weird transmission at the end of the previous chapter. You might've laughed about it, thinking I was justgoing vague or suicidal.

But guys… that's not me.

I know who it is, but that's not me.

Let's just call these anomalies the "Story Glitch". It's highly volatile, but necessary. You'll distinguish how the interruption indicates me or this anomaly.

For some reason, it likes to pop up whenever something significant or drastic happens, so be ready AT ALL COSTS.

If I reveal the secret now, the essence of the story will fade. A story I desperately want to finish.

If you think the mysterious dude was a hacker… He/she isn't.

" _Hey, Arcturus! Now that you're back, tell us a story!"_

Wanna know how I got into MLBB?

Through the introduction of a distant cousin, and the influence of a classmate.

I despised games like these before. Seriously.

I thought it's all going to go south once I tried playing it.

Well, it did hinder me, but I was able to find a way to manage all that. It was also very surprising to see that many top students in my school also play the game, having achieved a higher rank than mine.

ML ain't life, bros. But prioritize, and you'll get it right!

So, r3 dY f0r 5ome…

Uh oh.

The G111CH1

G3t reA0y, d1seN-wj8hakkkhadgue72-

 **(ERROR)**

 _ **ALERT! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!**_

 _(The video feed shows the same room, and the exact same person operating through the monitors._

 _The date reads, 07/13/[DATA EXPUNGED])_

" _I cannot believe what I am seeing right now!"_

" _These glyphs, they aren't just meaningless symbols… it's like our own damn [DATA REDACTED]! Just look at the arrangements… You could see this [DATA REDACTED] symbol with the [DATA REDACTED] on the top… it's the letter [DATA EXPUNGED]! But something is odd here. I will have to start from scratch and create an [DATA EXPUNGED] that will help translate these [DATA EXPUNGED]."_

" _I'll have to see this through. But… I have to keep this thing a secret. I am making this transmission just in case someone picks it up."_

" _The [DATA EXPUNGED] that sent me this must be desperate in trying to learn what this thing is. For now, I'll be busy."_

" _This is [D T 3XpUnG3d] with a case to solve."_

 _(The operator switches the camera off, ending transmission.)_

 _ **(End of Transmission)**_

Aw, man. The glitch is getting jumpy.

I can't do anything when the system does this. It overrides everything.

I hope it won't interrupt the story…

Speaking of which… What got me into writing this in the first place?

Believe me when I say this.

I was lazy at writing.

" _Woah, then how come you're an outstanding adolescent?"_

Look, all I wanted was to absorb stuff a lot faster, so I thought that writing was unnecessary in terms of expression.

Until my friends influenced me in reading novels.

You'd probably know which ones I'm talking about.

Anyway, when I was in a certain grade level, one of the tasks assigned by group was to make a story and such (with a book with pictures), and I wasn't really up to fortifying ideas that sprouted from my classmates.

But by the time I heard the plans, I immediately volunteered.

I've witnessed enough series and books to know how to lay this all down.

And guess what?

I had to avoid reading any other book, since my goal was to remain authenticity. I wanted to remain as original as possible… with the scenes, names, and every other little detail that I shouldn't miss. I didn't want to make a short romance story that was straight out of your local book store. As long as the idea, the context, remained unique, I'd be aiming high.

Good thing I did that, because most of the other groups were marked down due to copying off certain scenes. They may have changed the content, but the actions were spot-on copy-paste.

(I was astounded. I couldn't believe my instructor would even notice it. In fact, I was scared I copied something off, too, without even noticing. XD)

But like I said, even if my writing skills were good, I sucked at creativity. I couldn't think of a very good plot. It was all pure, raw… constipation in my brain.

Fast-forwarding to my playing of ML… I was interested at how each of the older characters had their own background history. And I was like,

" _Most of the histories are linked in between one another! There must be some hidden lore or insane story!"_

But I knew ML was literally on the verge of being cased due to the huge amount of copyright infringements I witnessed. (Good thing that they are improving… slightly.)

Yet, all I could think was…

" _THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR A STORY!"_

Until I thought of all the negative effects.

Before I started making up something, I immediately had to scan every ML Fanfiction in order to maintain both authenticity and the knowledge of WHAT and WHAT NOT to apply.

Well… not all Fanfiction, since the translator barely works… but still!

I had to check out forums, group pages, just to see if there's any recurring event or scene.

And…

Holy Christ.

I was absolutely frustrated…

Not because of the authenticity side…

But at the quality of the products.

" _What do you mean, Arcturus? Everything seems fine!"_

NO.

How many times do I have to see that 'Miya is the main character stuff' or that 'Everything is about Layla' thingamajig or even that '5v5 make them fight' nonsense?!

How about those one-sided stories and biased mentalities that can make any good guy a bad guy and a bad guy a good guy?!

(Okay, sorry for the other authors who literally had the same ideas imprinted on their stories. I am absolutely sorry, but…

*breathes…

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!)

I almost made a dent on a wall I kept punching after all the mishap I've seen.

I immediately lost my fortitude. All the ship wars, the absurd romance with lack of polish, the cancer, the toxicity…

It required strict treatment.

Mobile Legends is an amazing game, but what needs to be fixed are the mindsets themselves.

(I'm sounding like a villain. XD)

So I committed myself into making another character as the main protagonist, and include MOST of the heroes and villains. I also wanted to make sure that some gaps have to be filled along with the things that have to be crossed out of the game's original lore. I wanted to enhance and embrace the game… respect every core aspect and modify stuff only when required.

Because some stuff there barely makes sense.

Out of the muddy creek, I wanted to make the river of clarity I had to project for the game, even if I wouldn't receive much credit from this.

A hidden diamond under the rough, never to be found until when time permits.

So I took my time.

I immediately made up an insane Avengers/Justice League-like plot and start from scratch. I had to put in all the links in place before starting. I made sure everything was laid out like a list of instructions. I never forgot what was necessary… the awesome action, the plot twists and cliffhangers, a spice of humor, a touch of romance, a pinch of angst and sadness, and of course, my sudden interactions with the person behind the screen.

I gave heroes personality (with a twist), along with their uncalled-for sympathy and understanding to others.

(You can clearly see this to some characters like Bane, Roger or even Minotaur.)

I also made up some morals for all of you to apply…

And I never wrote a single line on any paper. All was planned in my head.

I wanted to make everything up with utmost secrecy.

And the product of my persistence…

You're reading it now.

It's imperfect, but it polishes every so often. Barely will you see it glint and shine, but when it does, beauty mesmerizes what it can and will captivate.

My friends, we are halfway around the story.

Let's not waste any more time now, shall we?

When the Lords of Order requested Estes' presence in the heavens, it really meant something was going down.

All the Elven King could hope was that it wasn't much of a bad thing.

He took in Zhao, Tigreal, Miya, Freya, Rafaela, Saber, Argus, Hylos and Alucard as extra visitors. Estes casts the rift and the group goes in discreetly, the others made aware of the situation and given strict orders to continue with the plans.

"How does it feel?"

Argus looked up to see Saber in his new frame, asking him as they walked through the vanilla plains of the skies. "What do you mean?"

"Flying. What's it like for you when you flew for the first time?"

Argus sighed. "The strong feeling of freedom suddenly courses through your systems, letting you do as you wish, but the fear of clipped wings will begin to germinate."

"I see," the cyborg responds. "I feel… too strong. Everything lacks challenge."

"Why say that?"

"I can cut through nearly everything. It felt like I was… triumphant without doing anything… something I feel like I don't deserve."

"But you'll need it," the fallen angel says. "It's better than not having any wings. Trust me, one day, you'll wish you've had them on you ever since."

"I'll look forward to that."

Alucard looks around, and, rather than being mesmerized, he felt awfully puzzled with the environment. Him seeing the sky below him, and the whiteness of what he steps, the whiteness no detergent will achieve…

"This feels insanely jarring," he said aloud. "I feel too light on my feet."

"Everything is completely different in this realm," Hylos answered. "Though, we might not witness the Lords themselves. No one has, except for their voice."

Suddenly, a bright ball of light appears in front of them, and tiny bits of bronze armor began to coalesce, forming an ethereal figure with an armor set similar to that of Argus', sporting long horns and sharp, yellow claws. The figure was rather bulky, the light glowing inside the core.

"Estes. It's been a long time," the figure said, putting his fist on his chest and bowed his head momentarily.

"It has been a while, Uranus," the king answered back, smiling. "Is there something troubling the Lords?"

Zhao began to snicker, something that everyone noticed. "S-sorry, guys, but…" He pointed at the figure. "Y-your n-name… is… URANUS?!" The spearman burst laughing, nearly tumbling over the fluffy ground. Alucard nudged him quickly on the shoulder to put him back to senses. "Y-yo, what in the name! Yo, I am so sorry, man…"

"Apology accepted," Uranus said, chuckling. "It's an ongoing feature."

(By the way, guys, he is pronounced as you-rah-nus, not YOU-RAY-nus. Estes got this pronunciation right. You must say the former quickly, rather than the prolonged latter. I have to admit, I myself, got it wrong the first time.

The hero, by itself, is actually balanced. I like that!)

The ethereal being continued. "The Lords, as I have said, have something to discuss with you. If you think things are as planned out as they are supposed to be in here, you're wrong." Uranus beckons the group to follow him, climbing the white landscape.

After half a minute, the group arrives to a wide circle, rimmed by tall pillars with white orbs of light sitting on them. Miya squinted and saw figures… barely distinct, but she could see them cross-sitting, wearing elegant robes.

"Those are the Lords," the archer said to Alucard. "I'm feeling really jitty."

"Me too," Zhao said.

An echo rumbled across the place.

"Estes! We have been expecting your arrival. Also, why did you plan on bringing these guests?"

Estes knelt at the center, and the others did the same. "My lieges, I decided that they listen in to some of the things you wish to discuss. I can't do this alone."

"Of course. We're here to discuss of what is to occur in a few days' time. We hope all of you have your ears open for discussion, and we don't like to repeat what we say."

Meanwhile…

"Here we are," Karina said. "Keva Infernus."

(Here I go again to listing the heroes partaking in this adventure…)

Lancelot, Karina, Gusion, Eudora, Gord, Minotaur, Natalia, Bane, Franco, Johnson, Grock, Lapu-Lapu, Yi Sun Shin, Gatotkaca, Karrie and Irithel stand next to the cave's wide opening towering over them (except for Grock) with 53 meters of vertical clearance.

(Phew! I hoped you are catching up, dear reader!)

"Moskov kept the shard here. Am I right?" Bane asked.

"Yes," Minotaur answered. "However, the reason for this remains unknown. We still have six days before the war occurs. Let's make this quick."

"Remember, the gravity changes every so often in this place. That's why the mages are here along with Grock," Irithel reminds. "They'll be able to balance out the shifts, so we wouldn't be hindered much."

"Grock feels funny," the stone titan rumbled. "Weird cave, very interesting. Careful!"

(If you've heard of the largest cave in the world that spans for miles and has its own environment, then it's like Keva Infernus… without all the good stuff. The whole place is barren, and the caves go deep below. And I mean… way below.

Well, not really, but you get what I mean.)

Our heroes (except for the mages, Grock and Johnson) tread the cave entrance with discretion. The fact that the cave location was in the middle of a barren land is creepy. No vegetation grew, much like a desert, but the temperatures weren't drastic. Rock and sand littered the area, but it wasn't even hot.

It was just… dry. Absolutely dry.

The group walked inside for fifteen minutes, the light from their energies illuminating the place. Barely any bats were there, nor any sound being made.

All was silent until they met a jagged natural ramp that seemed awfully carved. Bewildered, the group walks slowly, covering each other's backs.

They began to descend as they reached the end of the maw, and they felt the gravity shift.

"Here it comes," Yi Sun Shin said, gripping the walls for support. "The gravity grew stronger. Fall and you'll hit hard." It became harder to breathe due to the extra weight, but after a moment, the anomaly ended. Eudora and Gord was counteracting the shifts, allowing an easier descent.

"How long does it take to get down?" Lapu-Lapu asked.

"The cave, in terms of span, is the widest, but not so much in depth," Gusion replied. "No one dared go here due to the fear of being lost forever, but the ways here are well defined like landmarks. It's most likely because someone has been here."

"Yet, there is no little indication of any demons coming in here," Natalia adds. "It seems that there is something fishy going on." She suddenly felt light-headed, her mind floating. The gravity changed and the strength reduced, causing the small pebbles and dust to float around along with the heroes.

"At least you know how space feels like without actually going there," Karrie snickered.

They reached the end of the long descent, and they overlook a very wide, dark area, the nearest wall being forty meters away. The group walks aimlessly until Franco urged them.

"Halt. Walk towards my back."

"Why?" Lancelot asked. "Something wrong?"

Franco points in front of him…

A huge sinkhole actually covered the whole area. It's was if a behemoth dug through it. A bright, moving glint caught the eyes of the heroes as they try to find a way to descend safely.

"The Dawn Shard!" Irithel whispered, getting a better sight with her crossbow.

"What if it isn't?" Bane contradicts. "Look, all this time, we could be fooled into going in! What if that's just some metal shining off due to the sunlight?"

"Sunlight barely even reaches here," Minotaur pointed out. "The light your energies contain can't even penetrate through five meters of darkness."

"I can get in and inspect unnoticed," Natalia volunteers, putting on her cloak. "I'll report anything, even factual stuff. Stay put and don't make a sound."

She walks around the circumference of the maw and spots a staircase woven around to hug the walls of the hole. Natalia walks down the steps, and in every half-rotation of the circumference, a small area served as a resting place or halting ground for travelers. Often, bones or cobwebs littered each spot. Natalia witnessed a chest on the third rotation, but nothing was in it.

She went to take a break on the fourth rotation when her arm got yanked. Panicking, she attempted to scream, but an iron glove clamps her mouth shut. A silhouette emerged from the dark.

"Moskov?!" Natalia said with a muffled voice, her eyes widening. "What are you…"

The marksman raised his index finger and made a hushing gesture to the assassin. Natalia forcefully removed Moskov's hand from her mouth, glaring at him. Moskov reached for something on the satchel he has and emptied the content to Natalia's hand.

The Dawn Shard.

"W-why are you doing this?" she stammered, confused. "You're not going to like, double-cross them, are you?"

Moskov motioned for Natalia to descend farther with him, never saying a word. They stopped at the fifth rotation as the end of the hole seemed to be in view. Natalia grips the shard and keeps it hidden to avoid its light from sparking off. She squints hard to see what was before her.

"…doing here again?" A new voice trailed below. "I don't have time for dilly-dallying in the dark, you two witches."

"Alice, Zhask and Vexana," Natalia mutters. She faces Moskov, who was beginning to feel nervous. "Why did you bring me here?" The spearman simply pointed at the center of the floor of the abyss, but neither could see anything.

"Patience!" Vexana threatened. "If it wasn't for you toying around with the boy and trying to make that… traitor… go into our side, then we would have gotten what you wanted!"

"There's no use arguing," Alice muttered. Suddenly, the center of the floor flooded with light, but it barely reaches the top of the sinkhole. Natalia noticed that the walls below them were ensnared with dark matter, like a form of ethereal infestation. The said matter grew in abundance near the center, where a large metal chest could be seen. Rusty chains that glowed with ebbing light wrapped around it, like it was meant to keep something inside.

Then it hit Natalia.

"The Dreadmare Chest!" Natalia half-whispered. "It was here all this time?" Moskov nodded in response, maintaining his alertness.

"What's this filthy box going to do to benefit us anyway?!" Zhask shot back.

"This filthy box contains the essence of the master," Alice replied calmly. "He may not be in fighting shape once we release him, but he will most certainly give us an edge to crushing those puny heroes to paste! Did you really think that we were the ones who were in charge?!"

"What master?" the alien asked, confused.

Vexana barged in. "We're really not allowed to speak his true name, so you can use terms like 'master', 'liege' or any word that you use to refer to royalty. Now, the bonds that restrain him are weak enough to be shattered, and we now have the chance to bring him back! Alice, commence the reawakening."

Alice held her hands, slowly resting the palms on the chest's lids. Red, volatile essence poured out from her hands like mist. She felt a chunk of her power slowly drain, but due to her regenerative prowess, this was easily ignored.

"My Lord," she began. "It's time for you to rise again. It has been millennia since you have ransacked this world. Gaius is now ripe for the taking, and these heroic wannabes shall be your targets. Arise and bring forth the devastation you formerly imposed!"

There was a brief moment of silence, then the walls of the sinkhole shook, the brown dust falling down to the bottom. The corruption on the walls slowly spread. Natalia hurriedly grabbed Moskov's arm and tried to run, but the marksman shook his head with a sad face. Natalia ran by herself, climbing the steps quickly, never attempting to stop.

"Arise, master! It is time for you to be what people truly fear!" Vexana chanted. The chains around the chest slowly vibrated and broke altogether, a flash of yellow light flooding the whole place by a second. Natalia was near in reaching the top when the light blinded her vision, causing her to lose balance. With luck, she immediately grabbed Franco's hook, which the Viking dropped for her.

"Alrighty, got you now, miss," Franco responded, pulling the chain up. "Now, what happened down there?"

Natalia panted. "T-the chest… it's… the Dark Lord…"

"The Dreadmare Chest?!" Irithel exclaimed, Leo snarling. "What about it?"

"The Dark Lord has broken free… and M-Moskov… he's betraying them… he gave me the last shard. He was trying to warn me… he planned this double-cross all along!"

Most of the heroes gasped.

"I knew it!" Karrie said, grinning. "He was still on the good side. But… the chest! If the Dark Lord is awake-"

"Then we have to go now!" Gatotkaca urged. "We-"

"No, wait!" Minotaur hushed. "We have to listen in on what their plans are, at least for a minute. It will give us a head sta-"

Suddenly, a high-pitched howl filled the whole area like a wild gust of wind. It was then followed by a deep bellow.

"Alice… you haven't forgotten me, after all these millennia."

The heroes' eyes widened. Through their eye contact, they told each other not to make a single sound. Bane placed a finger on his mouth, indicating a need for silence.

"My Lord!" Alice shrieked with glee. "So good to see you!"

"And who is this… creature behind you?"

Zhask's voice resonated. "I am Zhask, the Planetary Dominator, my liege. I wish to keep the remaining shards once our skirmish ends. This is to benefit both you and my army. I will join your cause. This is all I ask."

"I hold no interest in those shards," the Dark Lord replied. "I have to admit that my entrance is late, yet… we do not have much time. I cannot manifest a complete physical form… my fragments are blown off to other parts of the planet. Only in the final day will I gain my strength to gutter these children in hopelessness, as all things should be. As long as you uphold your end of the deal, you shall stand proud."

The three (Alice, Vexana and Zhask) stood up. Moskov appeared from the shadows and bowed. The Dark Lord slightly nodded at him.

"It is time to gather all of the demons in the system. This is the most efficient way to gain an edge. They may have strategy, but the overwhelming force of darkness shall choke out the light from the roots! I'll…"

The antagonist abruptly stopped, his senses heightened. "I… smell… fear."

The heroes immediately scampered away from the sinkhole in a panic.

"THEY ARE HERE!"

"RUN IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!" Lancelot urged, the heroes racing to the staircase.

"I'LL COME AT YOU ALL! YOU SHALL NOT LEAVE THIS PLACE!" the Dark Lord taunted, immediately hovering upwards, away from the sinkhole. The malevolent spirit reached the top, but the heroes were gone, as they have begun running back to the exit via the main canal. It, along with the others, traversed the ascent faster than anticipated.

"Don't be lazy, Leo! RUN!" Irithel urged, beckoning the smilodon to sprint faster than it should. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dark force creep towards their way with insane speed.

"There!" Lapu-Lapu said, pointing to the end of the cave. "It's them! We can make it!"

"DID YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY FROM ME?!" a loud voice threatened, causing a few rock formations to crumble. "I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE, AND NO ONE SHALL STOP ME!"

"GODDAMN IT!" Franco yelled, panicking. He immediately lost his footing and tripped. He cursed, for he was so close to the end. Bane rushed to him and helped him up.

"This is why you should take a couple pounds off of ya, lunch bag!" Bane joked.

"I'm not the one with a peg leg and a crab claw for a hand!" Franco shot back.

Yi Sun Shin was in the lead, and he noticed the silhouette of a similar person joining the mages, Johnson and Grock…

And he smiled.

"Hahahaha! The Queen of the Snow has aided us!" the general laughed. "She's come to save us!"

Yi Sun Shin stopped at the end of the cave and beckoned others to reach the end faster. He saw the corruption relentlessly charging through. As Bane and Franco made it out last, a ghastly hand reached out of nowhere, aiming for Yi. The archer flips, slicing the line behind him with his sword, cutting the grip in half. Aurora casts a thick sheet of ice, covering the entrance of Keva Infernus. The corruption stuck there from the other side, but the ice was starting to break already.

"How in…" Bane stammered. "So… you're in our side now?"

"There's no time to explain," the guardian said. "The ice will cost them only a few minutes. Estes has designated a portal a couple of miles from here. I can arrive to the Land of Dawn by myself, but I'll help you keep the enemies at bay. Hold on to the shard!"

Meanwhile…

"As you may know, a couple of your company have initiated their recovery of the last Dawn Shard from Keva Infernus," the Lords of Order iterated. "Moskov has betrayed the Dark Lord and gave the Dawn Shard to your convoy. However, to prevent the Dark Lord from waking is impossible by any means. As of now, Aurora has stepped into the limelight and has aided the escorts. Now, we cannot help you directly, but we will give all of you the situations."

The central figure lifts his hand and casts a floating hologram, showing the complete layout of the map of Gaius. In the center of it was the Land of Dawn, surrounded by the foliage and a transparent barrier that runs through its walls, acting like a security system that keeps demons at bay.

"Once the Gem has initiated assembly, the barrier will be cast. Any demon that comes forth will be repelled, but not the Dark Lord himself. He himself will only recover his combat prowess within the final day. We expect that he would be analyzing the defenses you have in store, so try to minimalize your efforts in terms of keeping the monsters at bay. The more he knows, the higher the chance he will have the Gem in his hands."

The figure second to the right swiped his hand on the hologram, speeding up the timeline. "The battle will most surely be catastrophic, even in the best case scenario. Tens of millions of those wretched beings will circle the perimeter. What we lack in numbers, however, we make up for in strategy. There's a shortage of water monsters has made the swarm suffer greatly, but it will recuperate in time."

The leftmost figure began to speak. "We suggested on focusing your attacks on the mainland. A three kilometer-radius of destruction will be implemented. The forests will be laid barren, allowing for better view from the enemy's side. The fact that hills and mountains span the whole kingdom is something to fear. It only means one thing and one thing only. You only have one chance. Our lack of aerial support intensifies the crisis. We fear the pirate ships may not be enough."

Freya barged in. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but can you send a few of the Valkyries to aid us?"

"That cannot happen," the central figure replied. "They are preoccupied to other matters."

"But this is the most critical situation we have!" Zhao said. "Look, I know that all of you have a lot to fix, but if you do not send us enough support, we might not be able to make it! I have analyzed the stats. Barely a single percent of our side would make it on the start of the seventh day!"

"There are 13 million of you," the Lords of Order responded at once. "That will suffice."

"Against what, 200 million demons and counting?!" Alucard contradicts. "And we only know _half_ of what we're even fighting against! We're stuck in the place like fish in a barrel!"

"Have not you learned to make do with what you have, Hunter?" a figure asks. "It was pure luck that we have chosen to grant you immediate triumph over the first war."

"Alucard," Hylos whispered. "I think you should-"

"Shut it," the Hunter said. "Pure luck? PURE LUCK?! That wasn't pure luck, that was pure choice! Call it whatever you want, but the truth will resurface. You chose to aid us because we were lost and scared. You chose to show us the light from above, but now that when people need a symbol of your concern, you don't show up!"

"We have!" the Lords responded. "You were meant to be that symbol, Hunter, along with your friends and the fallen angel! We've kept watch and have showed our concern."

"Oh, so you've shown concern for Argus' being brainwashed?! Oh, so you've shown concern for the Dark Lord's massacre on my bloodline?! Heck, I even assumed you barely cared about how a being of your own making is out there right now to get the Gem!"

Estes' eyes widened. "Alucard, you know that the Lords of Order made the Dark Lord?"

"Yeah, I basically told him," Tigreal replied. Everyone else glared at him. "What? Don't tell me I wasn't supposed to say that to him."

"You weren't supposed to, dammit!" Miya shot in frustration.

"That being was meant to be the resisting object on the other side of the scales," the central figure said. "Without him, the balance will be disrupted!"

"I know that!" Alucard shouted. "I know all of that so don't give me a damn recap! But now, he's coming back to turn the tide in his favor, and all that you throw back against him is a paradox!"

"A paradox was meant to finish off what we have started!" the Lords retaliated, their figures glowing brighter in a more aggressive tone.

"And I know that we have to sacrifice ourselves just so everything will be locked in place!" Alucard yelled, his clothes slowly morphing into black, his sword transforming into a flame reaper (the same form he turned into when… yeah… when he choked Aurora and slammed her to her own throne. I've got to admit, that was still pretty insane.) "We didn't want to fight anymore in the first place. All we wanted was a peaceful life in which we won't have to fight anymore! My friends may seem cheerful, but they're growing sick of doing these goddamn errands!"

"WATCH YOURSELF, ALUCARD!" the Lords bellowed. "WE WEAVE YOUR FATE, AND WE CAN TEAR THE FABRIC IN A FLASH."

"Go ahead, try me!" Alucard challenged. "I know you can't do that because I'm too valuable. I've known enough, and I know much more than what I should know. I'll keep doing this damn job even if I don't want to, because it's necessary! I'll tell you this. I know who I'm talking to, but you should learn what position we, and you, are in! And if the time comes that we fail, don't lay the blame on us, because all of you have started this in the first place, and we're just doing all the dirty work for all of you." Alucard walked away, frustrated, his normal form morphing back. Argus walked back to him while the others remained dumbfounded.

"Well, he does seem to have a point," Uranus noted.

In the exits, Argus spoke to Alucard.

"Do you know the number of people who have spoken up like that to the Lords of Order and survived? One. You're the first."

Meanwhile…

"I hate being chased!" Karina complained, nervously looking behind. She was safe in Johnson along with the others. "Look at this! Aurora can fly around while I can't do anything!"

"Hey, at least we're safe here!" Gusion pointed out. "Let them do the heavy lifting. If we're needed, we'll go!"

"It's awful Hylos ain't here," Johnson said in the stereo. "We really need a huge boost with his pathway, now that the Dark Lord is out for our behinds!"

Gatotkaca shoots lightning from his fists while in the air, incinerating the corruption. It only delayed them for a second, but that time was enough for them. Aurora freezes the landscape, forcing the darkness to veer around to get there. After a couple of seconds, the ice barricade was shattered, the fragments splintering to the group, causing a defensive backfire.

"We're so screwed!" Bane yelled, shaking. "What chance do we have against this scum?!"

"He's still weak," Franco said calmly. "He's enraged, but that slimy cod is going to exhaust eventually. All we have to do is hold on!"

Gord rides through with his board, speeding up. He casts a projectile that he lobs toward the mass of darkness, blowing up. However, the force ricocheted, causing a major blowback. This actually turned into the heroes' favor, as the velocity of the wind caused them to speed up even faster.

(It's funny, because Gord is so slow in the game. XD)

"We can't stop it, Gord!" Eudora warned. "We must try and slow it down!" She shoots lightning from her hands, but the corruption has somewhat adapted. The lightning forked and bounced off, shooting through the trees and causing a forest fire that blazed faster. A burning tree nearly fell on Johnson's roof. The smoke made it even harder to see, but the cyborg knew they were close.

"A kilometer left!" Johnson warned. Grock was charging through, causing a few rumbles here and there. Though, it didn't affect the heroes. His aura was slowly mending the rapidly growing forest fire, nullifying the damage.

"Fire tickles. Darkness very bad," Grock said. "Huge dark place. Scary."

"Grock!" Lancelot called out. "What's going on there?"

"Nothing but darkness behind… Trees being swallowed."

If you're Grock, then you'd clearly see what the Dark Lord has done with the whole landscape. Beyond the mountains that hide Keva Infernus was foliage all around. The forest was harmless, and spanned for miles. It was friendly for commuters. But now, all that Grock saw was the darkness, enveloping the whole forest and tracking them down.

(And yes, it has most probably affected the other lands beyond their reach.)

"RUN ALL YOU WANT, BUT YOU WON'T ESCAPE! I'LL GET ALL OF YOU ONE DAY, MARK MY WORDS!" the Dark Lord's voice echoed.

Johnson saw the portal. "There it is!"

Aurora casts her final ice wave behind her, preventing the Dark Lord from being able to reach them. Suddenly, Johnson slowed, his vision being nullified. Minotaur, who was chill, suddenly bellowed in a panic, not being able to see.

Which is disturbing… because the ice was keeping the corruption at bay.

"Johnson!" Karina jolted. "Ah… I can't see!"

"Me neither!" Bane said. "Just drive, rust bucket! Our salvation is just straight ahead!"

"Hold on!" Gusion said, concentrating. "I hear something…" the assassin could hear a faint, hollow voice. It was small, but he could feel the presence growing closer. He stepped outside blindly.

Out of impulse, he launches all of his daggers at once in multitudes of directions. He heard the startling cry of something that felt animalistic, but human-like nonetheless.

" _You'll pay for that… Your deaths… do not concern me…"_

"A Shadowbringer!" Lancelot warned. "Gusion, get here!" Their visions were returning, and the presence was gone. Gusion immediately raced for his car seat in the dark.

"Johnson!" Lapu-Lapu yelled. "Full throttle, now!"

The car sped up along with the mages, the ice wall shattering completely. Before they could be swallowed up, they dove straight through the portal, safe and sound. Everyone was intact, along with Grock. They were now in the underground chamber of the citadel.

(Don't worry, Grock was sent to the outside of the city.)

"That…" Lancelot breathed out. "That was a Shadowbringer."

"I thought they were all dead!" Lapu-Lapu said. "My men scoured around to hunt them in my land. I thought we killed all of them."

"All except one," Minotaur barged. "And he is absolutely pissed."

Meanwhile…

"You, my friend, have a death wish," Hayabusa told Alucard. "How in the world aren't you even blasted to ash yet?"

"Because they technically can't," Chou noted. "Sure, Alucard has a point, but damn, I didn't know you'd press them on like that."

"Darn it, can we please stop talking about this for a second?" Alucard pleaded. "I don't wanna hear that."

"I still can't believe there are 200 million demons that we're gonna fight," Kagura added. "And the number's growing by the thousands!"

"But if the Dark Lord awakens, he wouldn't be able to gain the same intensity or force," Alpha said, running his calculations. "He will be weak when he awakes from his slumber due to his literal essence stripped off. It will take him weeks to recover-"

The cyborg stops talking as he eyes out the convoy for the fifth shard, exhausted. Alpha also notices Aurora along with them. "Yo, guys, they're here, with Ms. Freeze."

"Ms. Freeze?" Bruno asked. "Who's… oh… it's Aurora! Wait… WHY IS SHE HERE?!"

"Vent your steam somewhere else," Ruby told him. "I mean, yeah, she literally had us on the edge before, but this could be different…"

"I hope," Alucard muttered. He heard the group conversing nervously. Estes and the others crowded in the underground chamber to discuss matters. Johnson and Saber eyed the group with curiosity. Argus and Minotaur entered as well.

So technically, everyone was there.

(I do not want to list everyone's names. It's so tiring. XD)

"The mission is a success," Estes began. "We haven't made any losses up until now, but we'll need more than just luck if we're to last and execute our plans." He waves his hand, activating the Ocular Sun, showing the diagram of the gem that was in progress. The shards were floating around each other slowly, links of pure light keeping them in place, yet never seeming to join together. Alucard can imagine the outline of his body imprinted on the said gem.

He wondered hard about what would happen if things would go right… because the prophecy itself never stated a thing about the aftermath.

"I have noted down all the possible outcomes, and it's only right if our mages join the fray," Hylos added.  
"At least one mage should stay close here and speed up the process. The gem's radiant energy will also provide a huge boost to the mage's power, giving us an edge in the battlefield. With Aurora's help, we can pin down the demons a lot longer."

"However, we must be aware of the new threats," Aurora barged. "The Dark Lord has returned."

Collective gasps and murmurs filled the chamber. You'd expect them to be panicking, but they've expected this.

"He is now amassing his forces, but he himself will NOT be of fighting shape until the last day of the war approaches. We also have a double-agent there now… Moskov."

And there goes the increasing tension.

"Wait, how is this possible?" Kagura asked. "After all this time, he'd go against them?"

"So far, we don't know," Tigreal said, calming them down. "Natalia informed me of this, and her words are authentic. We cannot trust him for the time being, but his actions have significance. Whatever happens, we must keep a watchful eye on the marksman. As of now, there are no illusions. The shard is authentic, and so is the Dark Lord's awakening."

"There's also a Shadowbringer we have to worry about," Bane pointed out. Barely anyone reacted, since they didn't know what it was.

"Shadowbringers consume light," Lapu-Lapu explained. "It is their innate ability. They have spiked tails tipped with extremely lethal toxins. We have the cure for the toxins, and can be easily replicated, but Shadowbringers will be a hindrance in our vision. Luckily, we have confirmed that there is only one remaining, but we must keep our guard up."

"Its intention is not yet known?" Victor asked.

"It seeks revenge," Karrie replied. "All of us, especially Lapu's tribe, have hunted down their kind, as they have proven to be violent. They are half-immortal, which means they can only die when killed in combat. Hurting them can already be effective, as it will cancel out its abilities. But this one is stronger. I didn't expect it to have enhanced abilities…"

"If it charges, we have to accept the inevitable," Eudora added. "We will have to fight it. Some of us are immune to being blinded, and some of us aren't. Crowding together will deem fruitless, and most likely, catastrophic."

"All that we have to focus on now is bolstering our defenses," Roger reminded. "We have a week to prepare, and no time to waste."

The other heroes nodded and agreed with the statement.

"Resume normal patrols. Let's round up all the support we can get," Estes commanded. "Take your time and get some rest. You may go."

The others left calmly, talking about the new routines they will have for the phase. Argus and Minotaur returned to guard the gem.

(The gem is hoisted below the ceiling of the huge citadel like a chandelier. It will be lowered on the war to come.)

Aurora stayed with Estes and Hylos.

"What made you come back, Aurora?"

"I have done so many mistakes, but back there, in my place, must certainly be my last. I had a dream. I predicted that the Dark Lord would wake, so I left. I arrived just in time."

"What about the dream?" Hylos asked.

"I've dreamt of dying, along with them," the Queen of the Snow replied. "If it shall be for the good of this world, then I'd have to commit. All of us will most likely perish, no matter the outcome. We have barely any support from the Lords."

"If we are to die, then promise me one thing," Estes said. "We mustn't die kneeling. We must die standing, as long as the boy is alive."

"Alucard is in great peril, no matter how hard we keep watch," Aurora added.

"He know what happens if he keeps using his abilities," Hylos assured.

"That's not what I meant. In my dream… I… I saw him inevitably fight the Dark Lord prematurely. No matter what occurs, this will happen! For the best case scenario… someone has to come in and save him-"

"And then what?"

"The one who saves him must take his place as the one that dies fighting against the menace."

Before I finish this chapter, I am going to give you a little story of mine.

" _Ooh, Arcturus. What's it about?"_

" _Is this about your lovelife?"_

" _You're going to tell us your real name? Tell us! Come on!"_

No.

Shall we begin?

Have you ever heard of the KPOP boy group BTS?

You guys will most probably react quickly and say…

" _WAIT, YOU LISTEN TO THEM?! TELL ME! ARE YOU PART OF THE ARMY?!"_

" _WAIT, YOU LISTEN TO THAT TRASH?!"_

Calm down, jeez.

No, I don't listen to them. HOWEVER…

I appreciated their rapidly growing popularity and success. They're rocking the Billboard charts, as we speak. Though, I've never really listened in on them. But the theme, the imagery that they convey is absolutely unique and stunning. That is something to behold.

My friends (and family) practically tune in to them. Some of my classmates are hardcore fans… up to the point that they join the 'BTS Army', memorize every single band member, every single cover, every single song, every single-

Yeah, you get my point. Even after all of this, I still don't listen to them, but I ACKNOWLEDGE their success.

But if you think everything is fine and dandy, you're wrong.

Recently, I checked my feed. I saw a friend of mine share a post from a group (namely 'BTS Army'. Yeah, straight up like that. No add-ons.) which showed a meme, and added this caption.

" _Another fan I want to ********."_

(*Text redacted to avoid identification.)

I once delved into that group and saw the amount of support the community was getting.

If there are so many fans of that KPOP group in my country, why aren't people supporting the group page? And why is my friend… angry?

My first instinct was to think that people weren't really opening up to social media anymore, and are being discreet.

So when I saw the meme, I immediately recognized as the 'Ew, I stepped in ****.' meme. But what I saw in the next grid fueled my inner rage.

It was an Avengers: Infinity War poster.

I checked. So many "Angry" reacts and more angry comments. What I am going to show you is the translated version of these comments. They will be rough translations, as to avoid identification.

" _Unfollowing this group. Toxic af."_

" _That post gave me cancer." (insert sick Spiderman meme)_

" _Hating popular things benefits nothing. This post just made you lose a ton of followers."_

But there was one comment that I saw that caught my eye.

" _This admin is so ******** toxic. I can't believe how the BTS Army can be such warfreaks. Don't get me wrong. I love BTS. I love them. But I hate the fandom. Why? Everybody there just wants to pick a fight, spreading salt everywhere, but when they are on the losing ground, they whine and whine and whine."_

That comment got so many upvotes. I literally sprang to life as I saw that comment.

Guys, this is what I'm telling you. Toxicity never helps. Being cancerous never helps. It just proves your absolute stupidity and lack of humility.

Have you seen BTS itself do that? NO! They are kind in person, and they want to set a good example.

 **BUT EVERYBODY IS JUST SO TOXIC THAT THEY TRY TO MESS EVERYTHING UP.**

 **AND THEY JUST CRY WHEN THEY LOSE.**

What's the deal? I'd rather see that admin getting scourged on a pillar than continuing my story just for the heck of it.

Oh, wait… Sorry, got overboard.

This is basically me. I like Mobile Legends. As a matter of fact, I might love it for what it is.

But I do not like the community. Ever.

Wanna know why I stuck with Warframe? Because the community is so nice! In every other community, 90% of people are toxic, while the remaining 10% isn't. In Warframe, it's the complete opposite. Toxic, trash talking players get banned in the global chat. What's better is that the developers of the game listen!

Listening is key.

The game was the absolute reason for my absence.

And it's because of the community.

If everything changed for the better, you'd be getting two chapters for this story every month. But…

I had to face the truth.

I sat here, writing these words, working up a sigh. Disappointment carved a frown on my face.

But I am still doing this.

I am sorry for a short chapter. It may not seem like it for you, but it is for me.

For the sake of the community of the game, I'll finish it.

And for the sake of the game itself, I'll finish the story.

No matter what it takes… No matter the toxicity and the bashing and the trash talking.

The time… is now.


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Darkness Falls**

Music.

Why did I bring this up?

I always thought that a little bit of music can be a remedy or band-aid of some sorts. I also believed that they convey hidden meanings.

An idea popped in my head one day, asking, _"What would be the appropriate music genre for this work?"_

Funny enough, I immediately tried to cross out what isn't viable, like, Pop, Jazz, Classical and much more.

Especially the new music we listen to, because most of it is absolute TRASH. I scoured for ideas, trying to make something pop out of my head.

And something did.

Technically, I am an Alucard/Chou main, and I keep updated with the MPL (or the 'Mobile Legends Professional League'), most especially, its teams and members.

But since I am a Chou main, my idols were Syno and unXpected.

And their insane Chou montages gave me the songs I was looking for.

Rock music.

Okay, many of you will think…

" _Yo, ain't that the devil's music?"_

If you do believe that, then you must get your thinking fixed.

HEAVY METAL is the devil's music, not rock. I always hated it when someone says that rock music is bad, when in truth, it's actually ten times better than the horse dung being blasted on our poor ears today. The famed songs of the 00s and 2011-2014 was good… until 2015 started to screw up in every way possible.

Sure, many of you will not believe me and immediately report this and stop reading my story (I hope not. XD), but either way, it's true.

If you're asking what were the songs used for the Chou Montages, go to the channel 'MontageRock' and play the songs on the 'Popular Uploads' list, or simply scroll through the montage and find the links for the songs.

If you're still lazy, I can send some for you.

Onlap – The Awakening, Out of My Way, Running, Still Alive

Our Waking Hour – Break Me Down

Cult to Follow – Leave it All Behind, 10 Seconds from Panic

Stria – Rise From the Ashes, Alive

Alive in Barcelona – Back to Life

White Comic – This Ain't the End of Me

Papercut Massacre – Lose my Life

Message from Sylvia – Army of One

Some were included in the montages, while others were of my own preference. Just check the lyrics and see why I prefer them.

If you still think Rock Music is trash, then I guess I have no way of convincing you. At least I tried, that's better than not doing anything.

But by the time you read specific scenes in this FanFiction and play the appropriate music, then you'll know why I preferred the genre.

Whenever I listen to one of these songs, I get zoned out so hard that I could actually imagine the scene unraveling around me. It got me hooked like a drug, and I gain so much inspiration to write this stuff.

Since I am a bit of a sadist, I won't tell what song you should play in a specific scene. But if you pay attention, you'll find out.

Judging from the title, something wrong will occur.

Let's get to it.

It was four days before the huge war, and everyone was nerve-wracked. Civilians and citizens barely came out now, but the training grounds were fully occupied. Everybody was amped up, training the soldiers and the new recruits to shape. All the help they could muster would suffice.

The mages were applying their energies to the crystal one by one, taking shifts.

"You're like, cheating," Nana told Cyclops. "You know what sign I'll use!"

"Yeah, it makes rock-paper-scissors too easy for me," the mage said, landing scissor as Nana lands paper. "Chess would be more of a challenge. Too many outcomes."

"Sadly, Nana doesn't even know how to play chess," Harley pointed out. "The other mages do…"

"Nope, I'm fine. Chess hurts my head," Cyclops said, grinning. "Is it my shift?"

"Yup, it is. You're replacing Kagura."

In the other end of the citadel, Argus and Minotaur watched the mages closely as they did their work. They barely conversed however.

"I assume it was a shock for you to see how much the world has changed," Argus began.

The beast sighed. "The wretched place I once knew, now in ruin. A shock. I should've felt… glad. The wretchedness was gone… but I feel empty."

"It's because you only knew rage then," the fallen angel explained. "It wasn't easy to accept, I know. But in this place, you can change. What people knew about you? You can change all of it. Takes some time, though."

"Hmph. I'll try then. How about you? How were things back then for you?"

Argus looked down on the floor. "I was the weakest among those recruited to be part of the seraphim."

"You've got to be joking."

Argus chuckled. "I can't simply be making this up. Everybody picked on me. It just hit me when I learned I have outmatched them after all these millennia. It's hard to believe it."

"Judging from the state you're in, they're baffled."

"I don't know that."

"Why not?"

"I haven't got home yet."

The two laughed, resuming their inspections.

In the training grounds, Clint and his sharpshooters were at the firing range, scoring bullseyes with every shot.

"Keep at it, ladies!" Clint hollered. "Accuracy isn't always your best friend! Those wusses out in the open are going to come at you like cats ready to shred metal for a nibble! Your aiming won't help if you won't fire fast enough!"

Bruno went up to the shooting range, spectating the dozens of sharpshooters, easily taking down the targets. However, they weren't as fast as Clint.

"Man, I can only imagine the amount of pressure from the old training days," Bruno told the cowboy.

"This is just the start, muchacho," Clint replied, patting Bruno's shoulder. "Some of us had to hang through ropes, walls, and all that other stuff."

Suddenly, Clint ducked, easily dodging a stray bullet from Lesley's rifle, who was shooting from far away. The .50 caliber shot hits the head of a target, breaking the head piece.

"Damn," Bruno reacts. "There isn't much cranium left on that thing."

The Protector ducks, avoiding Miya's light arrow that proceeded to fly and pierce through the other targets. What's surprising is that the arrow acted on its own, curving around like a sidewinder. The light arrow fades after hitting the last target.

"Y'know, my friends and I feel left out," Bruno began.

"Why is that?"

"You guys are too powerful. Like, we barely even have superpowers!"

"Bruno, my compadre," Clint said. "You have augments that makes you have superhuman agility. Layla has a cannon that can disintegrate matter. Lolita's hammer deflects nearly everything that the Dark Lord can throw in our way. Chou has beaten almost every fighter except Argus. Ruby can go have a killing spree that can last for days, and Alucard can do the same, but better. What makes you think you have nothing to square up against that edge-lord outside these walls?"

Bruno remained silent. "I am just gonna… um… you know? I heard that Chou's bringing some spicy wings from a few blocks away-"

"Wally's Wings? Yeah, they're the best in town. Don't forget the barbecue sauce."

"You want a box of wings?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Go ahead."

Meanwhile…

"Faster… faster…"

Saber was training Fanny's complex maneuverability. After learning that her cable placement can completely alter her flight patterns, he had to train her in the skies. Fanny was zipping back and forth, her cables slowing and speeding up her flight. Feeling dizzy she shot a cable to a nearby wall and tried to catch her breath.

"I am not the one who can do this without suffocating!" she complained.

"I know, but if anything goes wrong with whatever you do, you're dead. The time will come when I'll not be there to catch you."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Fanny slowly landed on the ground below her.

"How long did it take you to create that flight gear?"

The flier looked at her equipment. "A year or so… It took me twice as long to teach myself."

Saber paused, and said, "It is still a shock for me that your neck hasn't snapped due to the insane amount of Gs your body is experiencing."

Fanny laughed. "We can adapt, tin man. No need to worry."

"Oh, so you want to race?" Saber challenged as he transformed into a metal eagle. "Ten rounds around the Land of Dawn. Whoever loses gets guard duty."

"Oh… it's on!" Fanny immediately shot her cables to two buildings, shooting her forward.

Meanwhile…

Johnson was driving around with Chou. Their work hours were finished, so they grew bored.

That is… before Chou had the impulse to buy from Wally's Wings.

"Hmm… hey, Johnson! What do you think is one of the best flavors?"

The cyborg was analyzing. "I… don't know, exactly. What I do recommend are the ones slightly above the normal 'Hotness' scale. Just… not the Nuclear Raptors. Those are just… nuts."

"Why not? Isn't that even more fun?"

"Well, last night, I did see someone pleading for milk in the streets."

"Oh… Wait… how about the Chili Teriyaki?"

"Could be. Wait… what flavors do your friends like?"

Chou shrugged. "They'd prefer any. Just… not the Nuclear Raptors. Maybe the Fiery Feet will do."

The two went up to the vendor, who was a young adult. "Um… do you still have some of those Fiery Feet on your stock?"

"Of course! I highly recommend the barbecue sauce and dip. It's good on it! I still have stock. By the way, do you want the hot sauce?"

"Sure. That will do," Johnson replied.

"Okay then. Just wait for a few minutes. I'll be right back." The vendor went to cooking the wings. Chou rested his back on the food truck.

"If only life was as good as this," he muttered. "I hope it will be all fine in the end."

Somewhere in the citadel…

Alpha was aimlessly trailing around the halls as a guard. He silently kept praying that the work routines would last a lot longer.

Why?

Because he didn't want to hear the awful noises whenever he would drift close to a room.

Yes.

You probably know what I meant.

You _already_ know what I meant.

Two nights ago, he heard Lancelot and Odette. Yesterday, it was Miya and Yun Zhao, which shocked him, because he didn't know of their status until that day. He wondered who it would be next.

He hoped it wasn't Hayabusa and Kagura. He already walked to see them… well… yeah. He walked up to them twice already.

Alpha wanted to bleach his eyes. But that's impossible. He had no eyes to begin with, only a visor. A visor that can help him see through walls, unfortunately.

"Argh, this is nuts," Alpha grumbled. "Why did I get assigned for guard duty here?! I keep hearing lovebirds who were on the edge of doing it right on the spot-" Beta, the drone, whacked him on the head.

"Sorry. I am just… ugh. I better ask Estes if I can find someone to switch with."

He was about to walk on the stairs when he saw Tigreal and Natalia. They nodded at him, but Alpha slowed his descent.

"Goddamnit. I swear, if you do the forbidden business and force me to keep watch on one of those rooms…"

Luckily enough, they were conversing some deep matters. Alpha sighed with relief.

"Oh, thank the heavens." He walked down the steps and met up with Estes on the chambers, overlooking the battle strategies with Rafaela.

"Um, yo, Estes! I was wondering if you, um… have a replacement for my shift. It's kind of um, boring to walk around in here now, and I am wanting a bit of fresh air…"

"Sure, Alpha," the king responded. "You can rest for now. I'll send someone else to guard the halls. Oh, and by the way, Alucard wants to see you. He's in the med bays prepping the equipment."

"Thanks." Alpha sprints out of the citadel and activates Beta's flight systems, helping him travel to the med bays which were not too far away. He spots Fanny racing with Saber around the whole place, zipping through the buildings and the towers, fearlessly maneuvering through the dangers. As he got to the med bays, he saw the Demon Hunter, alone.

He scanned the place. All of the equipment was in place. If Alucard didn't ask for help from Alpha, then what was he asking for?

"Oh, hey there," Alucard waved. "I've been looking for you."

"This isn't about the equipment, huh?"

"That's the easy part. Alpha, I requested for you being here for a specific reason."

"Okay, dude. Whatever you need."

"It is classified, and I recommend you not tell anyone about this."

"Sure."

Alucard attempted to lean in to whisper something to Alpha, but the cyborg pulled back.

"You do know we're the only ones in this wide hall, right?"

Alucard looked around, baffled. "Oh, yeah, sorry. Heh. Okay, um... I know the risks about my powers and all, but one night… I attempted to use them, and things started going off."

"What do you mean? Don't tell me the demonization process is occurring even without your powers being triggered."

"No, no, it's not like that. It's something different. It's…" Alucard grabs his greatsword and wields it. He closes his eyes and calms himself, which was the exact opposite of what he should do in order to activate the demonic powers. After a few seconds, the greatsword began to ignite, and the Demon Hunter's clothes began to change, morphing his weapon back into a flame reaper, his coat turning black. But as the time passed, the orange flames began to turn blue, and Alucard's back began t0 5p4002hi1t wwiin1g1ugd,ldms9081

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 _ **ALERT! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!**_

 _(The following surveillance feed shows a conference room. Two people, one young adult and one middle-aged man with unknown identities can be seen. They wore suits, the young adult lacking a tie. They sat calmly on one side of the table, the former fiddling his pen with his fingers._

 _The date has been scratched off, along with the time.)_

 _Note: Names have been omitted, but not through the editing process, but rather, in the original feed._

" _This is a magnificent find, ********. How did you come across it?"_

" _It was all about chance, sir. I… I really didn't expect that someone like me would find it. Who on earth would place it in a [DATA EXPUNGED]?"_

" _And yet, you found it. And please, enough with all the 'sir'. ******** would be fine."_

" _Thank you, si- I mean, ********. Um, why did you ask for my being here?"_

" _You see, we have scoured, well,_ it. _What we found would help us make a suitable product that will benefit us greatly, and will help us gain a lot of supporters for this [DATA REDACTED]. However, in the deepest part of_ it, _there's this one bit that's highly [DATA REDACTED]. None from our department could [DATA EXPUNGED]."_

" _I have seen it myself, ********. It is stubborn, but I was able to get a pattern that showed the actual, well, [DATA CORRUPTED]."_

 _(The young adult fishes out a small pile of papers and sends it to ********. The middle-aged man reads it, his face giving off a confused expression.)_

 _Note: The paper content has also been omitted through the same process._

" _It all has the same [DATA REDACTED] that we have discovered. Are you sure you can't find anything else that will help us out in [DATA EXPUNGED] this?"_

" _Not in my eyes."_

" _Then, it is urgent that we find someone that can-"_

 _(The door of the room opens. An adult woman enters. Her credentials were also scratched off the feed.)_

" _Sir, the ******** team needs help. They cannot contain the anomaly."_

" _How many [DATA CORRUPTED] have occurred today?"_

" _Four, sir. The probability of the event occurring again rises every day. If this keeps up, we won't be able to sustain the [DATA REDACTED]."_

" _It is important we find someone now, kid. If we don't, everything will backfire."_

" _I am on it."_

 _(The two adults exit the room, leaving the young adult nervous.)_

 _ **END OF TRANSMISSION.**_

"…side of me is beginning to emerge, Alpha!" Alucard worriedly warns. "If the Dark Lord gets ahold of this-"

"Calm down. Estes has been thinking about this as well, right? He is developing battle strategies in order to optimize your participation in the war whilst keeping you, one of our most important assets, safe. I am not going to tell any of this to anyone, do you understand? I keep my promises. What's important is that we prepare, and-"

Suddenly, the alarm blares, signaling an intrusion.

"Not this again," Alpha grumbled. "Last time this happened, it's because a rascal triggered it for a prank."

"I'd rather have that than an actual occurring fight."

The two run outside, expecting to see panicking civilians. Surprisingly, Estes' request for cooperation has benefitted the whole place. Everyone remained calm as they rushed to their homes, deploying their first stage of defenses. Fanny landed on the entrance of the med bays along with Saber.

"Status," Alpha said.

"We have checked the area. There's only one threat… a Shadowbringer. The same one the convoy encountered, coincidentally. It's not aiming for the citizens. Perhaps it is intimidating us."

"The Gem is not yet on its 5th stage," Fanny explained. "It couldn't generate the static field."

"We're going to have to drive this away. Estes' new prototype defenses are still being installed. If it disables them…"

"We would need to hurry," Alucard finished. "Saber, Fanny, check the skies and see any black spot, or anything you find odd. Alpha and I will go check on the others and make sure the Gem is secure."

"As you say." Fanny launches a cable to the nearby building, hovering through the landscape. Saber transforms once again and activates his recon augments.

"Grock," the cyborg called. The titan was squinting in order to see what was up.

"Grock sees black there." Grock points on a wide open avenue, the Shadowbringer's dark aura in full view. It was hastily nicking civilians with its spiky tail, but Saber couldn't detect any form of poison acting on their bloodstream, but rather, a natural variant of a tranquilizer.

"He's putting the people to sleep. He is trying to intimidate and catch our attention. Keep your guard up," Fanny points out.

Alucard and Alpha race back to the citadel, the streets growing quiet. It won't be long until the Land of Dawn will resemble a ghost town, now that most of its inhabitants were asleep.

They quickly opened the door, revealing Argus, Minotaur, the mages, Alucard's friends, Johnson, the mages, and the naval army with their respective leaders. Clint was aiming at the entrance, along with Lesley.

Everyone was there, which is bad, because they would be stuck like a fish in a barrel, ripe for the taking for an ancient assassin.

"All of you, spread out," Lapu-Lapu commanded. "If the creature catches all of us in one massive pile, the higher the chance we'll be dead. If we split up, the harder it will be for him to reach us. Don't be fooled. They can still nick you." Everyone followed, the others taking the stairs or balconies. Some stuck on dark spaces or pillars, while some stayed in the citadel. However, despite being the most sought target (probably), Alucard stayed smack in the middle with Estes, Argus, Hayabusa, Rafaela and Bruno.

"Y'know, Chou and Johnson was planning to buy a box of wings when this occurred," Bruno whispered to Alucard.

"Let's not mind the wings, okay? Let's just-"

Before the Demon Hunter could finish his sentence, the citadel's doors burst wide open…

But no one was there.

"Stand calmly…" Estes shushed. "Again, it's trying to scare us."

Then, one by one, the windows and the glass paintings were broken, but they were simply mended due to the advanced repairing technology. Hayabusa listened closely to the shattering of the windows.

"…Twelve, Thirteen-" The ninja stopped count as he heard the whoosh of the wind. Before he could pull out his blade, his vision blackened.

"Um, guys?!" Cyclops asked. "Are you- AH! I CAN'T SEE! I can't…"

The heroes began to panic, but they were silenced by the same hollow voice that Gossen heard.

" _Shhhhh… all of you… paaaa…. thetic…"_

"Who goes there?" Rafaela asked. "What is your motive?"

" _M-m-m-motive? I… have none… but to… kill… and… terrify…"_

"Why are you doing this?" Ruby interrogated.

" _For my brethren… who fell… under your h-h-h-haaaandsss…"_

Freya felt a presence beginning to loom over her. She raised her shield blindly, deflecting the stealth strike.

" _Aaaahhh… you're not as f-f-f-foolish… as they thought… Hehehehehe…"_

"No time for games," Argus threatened. He could not see well, but he clearly sees the outline of the creature, slowly crawling around the walls and teleporting to certain spots around the citadel.

" _The t-t-t-traitoooor… Have you come to atone? To f-f-face death… with your very eyes?"_

Alucard began to speak. "Enough of that. What is your name?"

Only the loud blaring of the siren could be heard, and the voice spoke, like a chilling whisper.

" _H-H-H-Heeelllll… cuurrrrrrttt…"_

Yun Zhao shrugged. "Well, that's easy. Alright, where are you, ghost face?"

"Are you kidding me right now?" Eudora complains. "This is the wrong time to-" The mage then felt something nick her neck. Before she could touch the nick, she fell, asleep.

"Wrong time to what?" Odette asked when she was nicked as well, and she fell, too. One by one, everyone fell, the tranquilizers shutting them down, moaning in pain as they tried to wake. The whizzing of the tranquilizers filled the hall. Only Estes, Argus and Alucard stood.

" _S-s-s-satisfying… but I won't kill… not now… the master hasn't given… the order…"_

"I know he's back," Estes answered back. "What is prophesized is inevitable. I know you seek revenge, but this is the wrong course of action."

The three heard the low snarl of the Shadowbringer.

" _Y-y-y-you… know nothing… about right or wrong! You confuse the t-t-t-terms…"_

"So do you, along with them," Alucard said. "We have different perceptions, but we can-"

He instinctively raised his sword to block himself from Helcurt's claws.

" _V-v-very tempting, Hunteeeerrrrrr… But not… today…"_

"If you want to kill me, do it. It's what the Dark Lord wants. It's what Alice, Vexana, Moskov and Zhask would want as well. I am here. If you're brave enough, you can acquire the 'vengeance' you want. You won't have to prolong your agony."

The four figures stood nervously. As they waited for Helcurt's next move, the remaining three patiently waited.

" _Is this… a… test? Hehehe… you don't know me, Hunter…"_

"Don't make me-" Alucard stopped as he was forcibly put down to the ground, but Helcurt didn't want to pounce on him, but rather, drag him to the stairs.

"He's yanking Alucard!" Estes warned. "Argus, can you catch up?"

The fallen angel said nothing as he launched his claw to the ceiling, proceeding to swing towards Helcurt's path. It proved to be fruitless as he noticed the Shadowbringer simply blinking to and fro, passing through Argus without him even noticing.

"He can teleport to short distances. No other Shadowbringer can do that," Argus mutters. Estes blindly casts a ward that slows Helcurt's movement while boosting Argus', but the Shadowbringer was just too far. Argus raced to an inner hall, trying to listen in to Alucard's grunts and struggling.

"Have it your way!" Alucard challenged. "What's worth following? Your temptations, or your master's orders?"

" _I… freely chose… what I want to s-s-side… to achieve my goals! And no… no, no… no one… not even nature, will stop me!"_

Helcurt was planning to drag Alucard right to the top balcony, hoping to make him suffer, but as he burst through the balcony's doors, Argus was able to reach in time. Helcurt stopped in his tracks, simply leaning over the edge, with Alucard now unconscious.

The demon hunter was nicked.

" _T-t-t-t-traitor… how would you like him to s-s-s-ssuffferrrr? A little scratch… maybe a nibble… or do you want h-h-h-him to receive a p-p-proper sh-shredding?"_

"Let him go," Argus threatened. "Don't think I don't see you."

" _I know that… And you will know… to remember… the name of the l-l-last of his kind… that brought j-j-justice… for his-"_

Due to Helcurt's ranting, he didn't realize that Alucard was faking his being unconscious. Argus noticed it and kept quiet, but he then saw the greatsword began to glow blue, its runes emphasized. Alucard slowly opened his eyes, a striking blue hue on his irises. He grips the greatsword tightly.

" _W-w-w-what… is… thiiisssss?!"_

As Argus saw the streaks of light emerging from Alucard's shoulders, he knew that it was the cue to shield his eyes. A sharp, warping sound filled his ears, a massive gale nearly blowing him back to the halls. Argus grunted as he struggled against the sudden force that faded over several seconds, gripping his longsword that he had to strike down towards the ground. As he opened his eyes, his vision returned, Alucard awake and standing up, but there was no glow on his eyes or on his weapon.

The Demon Hunter eyes the Shadowbringer, its arm wounded, oozing with blue blood. The creature's body was extremely thin, like a husk of what was once living. Sharp, metallic claws adorned its grips, and the purple, spiked tail wagged nervously. Helcurt's face was hidden with a cloak, but the hellish glow of his eyes and the sheen of his sharp canines was something to fear.

" _Their b-b-b-b-blessing… They w-w-will hear of this… You are lucky, Alucard… I will spare everyone… but by the time I see y-y-you again… I won't be… s-s-s-so mercifuuulllll… Hahahahahaha!"_

Helcurt blinked out through the dark rift, disappearing in sight. Argus notices the civilians regaining consciousness. He turns to Alucard.

"I know what you did," the fallen angel began. "That was in total control. Your powers are emerging faster than it should. You gave the information away to Helcurt!"

"What am I supposed to do?! There was no other way!"

"I know, I know, it was inevitable. But next time, in the war, you have to keep this power of yours confidential."

Alucard sighed. "Okay, okay, let's go see Estes and the others. We have to check up on them."

They climbed down the stairs calmly, and Nana bumped on them.

"Ow."

"Woah, sorry, didn't see you there," Alucard apologized. "Is everyone-"

"Yeah, they're beginning to wake. What happened to the… um… thingy?"

"We chased it away. The whole place is safe for now."

Nana nodded cheerfully and ran back below. Alucard and Argus followed suit, and saw Estes assessing the situation in front of them. Everyone woke up groggily, trying to shake off the tranquilizers effect. The loud blaring of the siren slowly faded down.

"No one was hurt?" Argus asked Estes.

"We were right. Helcurt only seeked to intimidate rather than harm. We can worry about him later."

"What's wrong?" a voice interrogated. "I just returned from my citadel to prepare my troops."

"The Shadowbringer sought to scare us, Aurora," Bane said, shaking his numb leg. "It nicked everyone with its tail, causing a city-wide slumber. Lucky enough, no one was poisoned."

"If we can't kill him that easily, I suggest watching out for him," Alucard suggested. "Since it can only teleport in short distances like Moskov, and in a long interval, we keep close track of his movement and keep him occupied with our spare defenses. If it tries to sneak up on us, we will have a hard time to shake him off the fray."

"The Genesys Gem will begin its 5th and final stage in a few days time," Minotaur spoke. "The shield will ward off the demons long enough before the 7th day, but it will weaken at nighttime, allowing Helcurt to break through the barriers."

"Then it's settled. We try to think of new defensive strategies and routines at night to keep intrusions off of the kingdom as quickly and as effective as possible. For the meantime, we will maintain our form and finish any preparation that we can polish until nighttime. Let the army recuperate from the attack if needed so. Report back to me once you're done," Estes says. The others nod and help up the conscious heroes to wake up the others. Before Alucard could leave, Estes suddenly gripped his arm.

"I know what happened back there," the Elven King said. "The blessing of the Fall has begun to develop inside you."

"Estes, I can't control it. If I try to negate the effect-"

"Then the other side will take over you," Estes continued. "Your duality will break itself if you keep using your powers. Remember, you are our objective. If we lose you, we lose everything. You gave the information away to Helcurt. We just have to hope that it will trail off the Dark Lord's mind. No matter what, charge through the frontlines last. If they expect that, go first, and improvise."

"Thanks for the tip."

Meanwhile…

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you like them?"

"Who?"

"The heroes."

"Of course I do. I didn't want to join that protest."

"Mom, do you trust them?"

"If you do, then why not?"

"They've always saved me, back in… Eruditio… and they healed my leg during the protests…"

"It just shows that they truly care, love."

"If so, Mom, then I want to be like them when I grow up. But I don't want to fight. I don't want to do good out of fear."

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to protect. I'd be willing to help.

"But you would have to sacrifice a lot, and you're still a kid!"

"I know, but at least I know I'm on the right side."

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 _ **File Recovery Complete, 100% Effective**_

 _ **ALERT! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!**_

 _(The following transmission is an audio log. As of now, no one can trace the voice owner, or the gadget used for recording._

 _The date was forcibly erased off of the file history.)_

" _What's this? Wait, let me get…"_

" _Okay… 'Dear [VOICE STATIC], you are one of the chosen few that are given the opportunity to [VOICE STATIC]. Under no circumstances will you ask of anything to us concerning your objective, but to complete it will give you the free will to do as you wish with the [VOICE STATIC]. Good luck.'"_

" _Hmm… wait, the message came from [VOICE STATIC]?! Am I being pranked?"_

" _Wait… 'Warning. Never speak of this task to anyone.'"_

" _Pfft. Hmm… the link is here…"_

" _Wait, what's going on? Why is my-"_

" _WHAT IS GOING ON?! MY [VOICE STATIC]! RESET! RESET! C'MON!"_

 _(The transmission's auditory interference grows stronger.)_

" _Okay… okay…"_

" _Keep your **** together, [VOICE STATIC]. This is serious. This is no joke…"_

" _Goddamn, is it still reco-"_

 _ **END OF TRANSMISSION.**_


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: The First Hours**

Everything is in place.

Ladies and gents, boys and girls, people from all around the ML Fanfiction Fanbase!

Are you ready?

Before I continue, let me give you some warnings.

Some deaths can be obvious, some aren't. Death flags can pop up anywhere, but you will most likely never expect what will occur next.

Also, violence will not be censored. Yes, there's heavy violence. However, the story will remain Rated T. Like, the violence I gave you guys a couple of chapters ago should be enough to keep your heart at normal pace.

To try and nullify the effect, I won't use capital letters all the time. Think of the children, mates.

Once again, this seven-day war will cost 33.3% of the whole story. I might not talk much anymore, so I recommend taking note of whatever 'nonsense' facts and warnings that were indicated in previous chapters.

I also noticed that the 'Story Glitch' showed up twice, in such a short interval. That, I can no longer hold back. Sorry, if it did block off some important words in the chapter. I can't reset the effect, but I'll try to reduce the interval.

 **I ALSO RECOMMEND READING THE REVIEWS. I'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED.**

As of writing, I have made about 550 pages of content, if, following a standard book format with 'Letter' size paper, with Verdana in Size 16, with the chapter title on 'Bold' with Size 20.

Finally, as of writing this chapter, I wish to send prayers for a fellow writer for the fanbase, namely 'LostChild1996'.

You'll probably know her via her Rated M Fanfiction 'In Love with the Evil'. I, myself, am not one for the Mature category of the game (or the FanFiction). I'll have to admit, I often despise it for what it is, but at some point in time, you gotta accept, right?

But I noticed that there were constant delays in terms of updating, which I thought was just normal. Even I have difficulty sustaining the 1-month deadline of posting a chapter. LOL.

That's when I got the announcement.

I was in disbelief when I read the word 'hospitalized'. Y'see, I'm queasy with things like these. It gives me that innate fear or dread. I needn't read it out loud to give me palpitations.

I immediately sent a review on that announcement, stating that I'd give my prayers for 'LostChild1996' and her family. No, I am not telling you to give me credit. I am asking you to do the same.

I don't even know her, but giving a moment of silence for the writer would be enough to keep her hopes up. I hope you recover, fellow writer. I'm counting on it!

Y'know what? Enough blabbering. Let's get on with it.

I have to warn you, though. The Land of Dawn practically looks desolate now.

As the Genesys Gem was able to generate a protective field, a 3 kilometer radius of safety was imposed. Outside of that barrier is the outside world… rather… what's left of it.

The outside was completely barren. It wasn't that corrupted, but stepping outside will prove lethal for anyone (except Argus). The only way to get safe was to stay in the air, which a few of our heroes can do.

The inside land was… well… barren as well, but the environment wasn't too harsh. Yet, there were no trees anymore. The whole place was laid flat, with a few bumps of hills here and there. Barely any fish were to be caught in the docks, but the storage supplies will last twice as longer than the actual war itself, for insurance. Grock sat down on the ground, bored. Wherever he walked, small patches of grass grew, but they were immediately extinguished as soon as he stepped off.

Any stalwart form of defense was there. You can basically count anything from mortars to machine guns from ballistic firewalls to runic enhancements and the like. There will be no support from the Lords of Order. However, Estes ordered all of the troops to keep the defense to a minimum at all costs.

(Not only does he want to keep the Dark Lord's knowledge to a minimum, but he also wants to learn of how much they can take… to learn of how long they can last.)

The Elven King assessed the Ocular Sun one more time before going out. The first attack is imposed on the land. The usual Hellhounds, Stalkers, Ravagers will be there, but the Kastiyans and Ghouls will join in the fray as well to apply the constant pressure. Estes closes the hologram off and exits the underground chamber.

The Genesys Gem was in view in the grand hall. Gord is the first to stay close to the gem, since it's all just a land invasion. About a quarter of the naval fleet (along with Yi, Lapu-Lapu, Gatot, Bane and Franco) will be going alongside the main defense line, along with the other heroes, the remaining portion will be left to guard the port. Estes gave a strict order to NOT advance and engage unless ordered to. Argus is left to guard the shard, along with the Royal Guard. Minotaur was on standby in the kingdom's main gate. All secret passageways that the demons could burrow into were sealed off.

No one goes in or out unnoticed.

Only 3 million, which is approximately 20% of the whole army, will be released, but every other hero will be there with them.

"Are they closing in?" Tigreal asked.

"As planned. Remain subtle, but make a bit of our presence known. Are the 1st tier defenses active?"

"All accounted for and checked," Fanny responds. "A few of Bane's ships are keeping an eye on the sky. Gunmen and archers are in place, all charging marksmen are in their positions. Should we put the Royal Guard on the field?"

"Not yet, Fanny. Keep them in the citadel for now. Let them take their time. We must wait."

"Those uglies should be here now," Victor sighed. "It's 10 A.M. now."

"We would've known that they're already advancing, though," Natalia pointed out.

And in the nick of time, the siren blared.

The second as the noise resonated around the place, everyone never said a word as they stuck to their positions. As Lesley watched on the balconies of the main wall, the whole army began to lock in place.

Wait!

First off, let me give you a rundown of what the army composition actually is. It's pretty hard to describe without pictures. Also, I don't even know how the producers of 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy could even pull off the awesomeness it harbored long time ago, or even the Russo Brothers of Marvel Studios. They're geniuses, I gotta give them that.

So I am going to _simply_ explain the units.

 **Bastions** – Squad Leaders of Estes' army. They wear thick padded armor, which will help them survive the toughest conditions, but this sacrifices their mobility. They wield huge, rectangular shields with runic augments, enabling them to rush forth like an elephant on steroids, or even make them survive devastating blows. As long as they hold the shield, they gain a protective aura around them, further amplified and bolstered by the number of fellow Bastions in the vicinity. They will be in the very frontlines.

Then again, their weakness is being overwhelmed or disarmed. Due to their mobility and overall defensive capabilities, Estes would no longer require having chariots.

 **Striders** – The basic units that form up a squad. They are known for their innate versatility, unlike the Bastions, who were designed to defend their weaker members. Wearing moderate armor, they often wield light spears (like Zhao's but lower in terms of stats) that enhances a Strider's speed and combat potential, as these spears absorb the kinetic energy they receive, allowing the combatant to repel the stored energy back. Striders are also equipped with crossbows and retractable blade gauntlets that they can use for dispatching in discreet manners. (No, the blades don't resemble the 'Assassin's Creed' hidden blades, but rather, a Zealot's in 'Starcraft'.)

Their being basic forces them to work in groups to maximize their output in the battlefield.

 **Night Assassins** – Hundreds of Karina's fellow elves have joined the fight, and they are no joke. All of them are women, but don't mistake them for being weak. They're very mobile, and they will cause mass confusion with their near-instantaneous reactions.

They remain on standby at the back, obviously. It's the army of the Kill Steal queen. What did you expect?

 **Sharpshooters** – They have undergone lethal training to earn the titles they deserve, being forced to master any form of bow that are discovered or preserved in history. With eyes that can catch a fly a hundred meters away, these elves won't let anyone slip from their line of sight.

Many of these are positioned in the roofs of the walls, but a few, including Miya, will stay on the ground. As of now, only she has the highest capabilities, being able to make an arrow curve to hit the target, no matter how far, or how impossible the shot can be.

 **Archimedians** – Yes, the whole army can't be complete without a few spell casters. But, unlike the other mages, Archimedians simply enhances the capabilities of their allies. They are also taught healing techniques, but they cannot match that of Estes' or Rafaela's. An Archimedian's power lies on his/her own fortitude.

Only a few of them are given the title, but they are still beneficial in terms of shifting the tides.

 **Alaghat Marksmen** – Karrie's sisters-in-battle may not be as good as her, but the speed at which these marksmen operate is astonishing. What they can't make up for accuracy, they make up for speed. They are built for brute-forcing their way to victory.

When they are trained, a marksman must keep firing for at least an hour to be part of the army. Yes. I am serious. How many goddamn arm swings would that be?!

 **Bane's Pirates** – These scallywags will still give the demons a run for their money. Bane now has the power to take command of the skies as well, allowing for easier Spitfire clearing and more air-to-ground bombardments. But don't think that these pirates are already invincible. Bane may have revived once more, but he can still die. His ships can also sink as well, or rather, plummet to the ground below them.

 **Yi Sun Shin's Fleet/Lapu's Tribe** – The Korean general's 'Turtle Ship' concept will make it hard for the land sharks to land a dent on its tough steel. Don't forget, Lapu's tribe possesses the power of the nature spirits. Their polytheistic beliefs strengthen their faith, and they will never back down without a fight.

 **Franco's Vikings** – These men survived on harsh conditions, helping them adapt naturally and more efficiently than anyone else. Their weaponry is technically low class, but don't you dare underestimate the force that Franco's men give.

 **Hylos' Centaurs** – It seems that only Hylos has the abilities to strengthen his allies, but his centaurs are still as strong. I personally don't recommend getting hoofed by them.

Seriously. They kick harder than a bull going crazy on a rodeo.

 **Balmond's Orcs** – Known for their ruthless savagery, Balmond's army has now changed. Their reputation has cloaked their real, caring selves. For them, there is strength in numbers, and when their people are in need, they act accordingly, as long as their moral code remains unbroken.

 **Hilda's Huntsmen** – Living in the Wasteland is tough. It was easier for the Orcs, but not for Hilda. If Franco and his men can adapt to any situation, these warriors can last without expending too much supply, perfect for keeping up a constant charge in the playing field without worrying too much about your incoming dinner.

 **Clint's Shooters** – It will be high noon every time and all the time with them around. The training they receive is just as harsh as those for Karrie's army. If I can recall, their final performance test that they had to pass is to deflect a bullet to hit another target.

Yes. I literally meant deflecting a bullet with another bullet, either theirs or someone else's, to hit the mark. You only get one shot.

 **Demon Hunter Clan** – All the knowledge about the demons and the otherworldly are in current possession of these dudes. Relying on unique tactics, the Hunters have gone through thick and thin. Without them, the army won't know their enemy. Without knowing the enemy, you will lose the war before it even begins.

 **The Royal Guard** – Estes' elite. These battle-hardened warriors are the Elven King's personal guards. Armed with a metamorphing light construct that will instantly conjure any weapon or defensive item they need, and state-of-the-art battle armor that can do the same, the Royal Guard is most definitely the group you want on your side, but the group you technically do NOT want to face.

Because of the insane amount of action scenes that I'll be crafting, it will take… um… give or take… 8-10 chapters left to finish the story.

" _Yes! Thank you so much, Arcturus! More content, y'all!"_

" _Oh, no! I assume action scenes are the scenes you do not want to make at all, huh?"_

Yes, I do not like making action scenes.

" _But… but… they're freaking awesome!"_

Yeah, but that awesomeness must be built from scratch.

High amounts of raw analyzing is required to pull off insane scenes like these. I have to make sure that it doesn't defy real elements, whilst making it comprehensible and enjoyable.

Did you think that making Argus' entrance in the story was easy?

Absolutely not, especially when the corrupted files are incoherent at the worst possible moments.

Back to the sitch.

All of the heroes converged as the siren sang its song… a song of warning. They had weeks to cover up everything that they had to, but some still doubt themselves.

"Nope! Nope! Nope! Nope! It's starting, Harley! I can feel my tiny feet shaking!" Cyclops said, twitching.

"Chillax, dude! We got this! We gotta stand tough out there!"

"Hey!" Nana called out. "There's no use being afraid now. Everything we've done builds up to this."

Miya, Lesley, Clint, Layla and Yi Sun Shin stand in the back.

"Another day, another gunfight," Clint muttered, spitting out the stalk of wheat off of his mouth. "You ready, boys?!"

Clint's friends and fellow shooters cheered loudly, loading their weapons with ammunition. Clint eyes Layla, nervously checking if her cannon was fully operational.

"Hey, relax. Remember what I told you," he began. "If you need it, go ham and cheese on those uglies. If you need to kill them, just take it easy, and make the shot sure. You'll be providing cover fire with Miya and the others."

"And if things go wrong, I got your back," Lolita replied, carrying her hammer. "No one gets past my sis."

"Thanks, guys," Layla responds. "Lolita, is that a new hammer?"

"What? Naw, it's just the upgraded version, v.44. It has better efficiency and it's not too heavy anymore. I also checked your cannon last night and fixed the overheating problem. It will take twice as long now before that goes scorching hot."

"She's cover fire, I'm the sniper," Lesley volunteers. "I'll take the wombats down for you."

"You're not the only one, Lesley," Miya said, smirking.

Gossen suddenly dashed forward in front of them. "Ladies, ladies, simmer down with the challenging! We don't have a lot of time for that."

"We barely have any time for it," a voice added. Gossen and the others spot Lancelot escorting Odette to the midline to assist the Archimedians. "You ready, man?"

"As long as you are," Gossen replies.

Yi Sun Shin eyes the deployment of the first tier defenses. Mortars and Shield Generators were up and running, ready to blast the land threats to oblivion and hold them back.

"Bane's men are ready," Franco points out. "Some of your men have started their rotations. Things are in place for us."

"Same for mine, as well," Karrie adds, her marksmen lined up in the midline. "Where are the centaurs?"

"They're going to lead the charge up front," Gatot reminds. "The Bastions, however, will move accordingly to confuse the enemies."

As the Striders and Bastions lined up, Hylos and his centaurs cut through the mass, the soldiers simply giving space and spinning back in place to fill the gaps in flawless sync. The centaurs calmly scattered along the front, keeping a close eye on what is in front of them.

Meanwhile…

Demons of all shapes and sizes were now in full view. It was an advantage for the Dark Lord and his forces that the downward slopes to the barren land gave them the full view of the Land of Dawn.

"Look at them," he began. "They build towers of gold and ivory, all for naught. Doesn't matter if they have united. When I am done, everything that they've carelessly preserved will rot in place."

" _G-g-g-gooood… thinking…"_ Helcurt hissed. _"Shall we continue?"_

"Not yet. I'd like to see what goes on there. For the meantime, take a snooze. Let the pawns go first."

The Spitfires and Ravagers roared and snarled throughout, making their presence known. The whole kingdom was now surrounded, cornered like a rat. Nevertheless, the army stood strong.

"We didn't ask you to come," Zhao said, addressing the army. "We didn't ask you to go here and fight. All of you simply volunteered, and we're grateful for that."

"The Dark Lord and his forces will crush us, no doubt," Tigreal continues. "They will do anything to reach the Gem and disassemble or destroy it. Remember, we are not the goal. The Land of Dawn may perish, but as long as the Gem remains untarnished, we have the upper hand."

"No one will guide us now, not even the Lords of Order," Estes said. "We will be left blind in the dark, without aid, without guidance. We only have ourselves. The price to save the world is high, but we all know that it's something worth earning. As of today, you're no longer the mere citizens you think you are. All of you are warriors of light. And as we make what would most likely be our last stand, we shall die standing."

Bruno slid up (yes, again, he did) to the front and hollered. "Are you ready?!"

"YES!"

"You ready to whoop some demonic behinds?!"

"YES!"

"ARE YOU READY TO F-"

"Woah, dude, chill," Chou said, calming the hyped Protector. "All right, boys and girls! Let's show them what we got!"

"HOORAH!"

And as the weapons clang and the shields bang, the heroes clamored into the front along with the Bastions. Sun was checking his cudgel before spawning a doppelganger. Roger spit out a cigarette butt, but didn't bother fishing out another cigar. Rafaela eyes the Dark Lord, his black spirit drifting with malicious intent, accompanied by Alice, Vexana, Moskov and Helcurt. And as things locked in position…

"Um, guys?" Akai asked, his frog hiding under his hat. "What's that earthquake?"

The ground below them shook lightly, but it was no earthquake.

The Ravagers began to pour out, but Estes didn't give the signal to deploy the static barrier.

"Not yet, Estes?" Hylos asked.

"If we force them around, we'll be surrounded in no time. We must let them in, but deploy the barrier when one of the Dark Lord's henchmen get in. That way, we'll have less to deal with when the situation starts to twist."

Alpha was in the air with Saber, surveying the scene. The Army was taking up the one-kilometer radius, so it was technically two kilometers of distance separating the demons and the good guys.

As the anticipation elevates the pressure, Estes slowly raises his arm. Aurora sees the Mortars being primed, set into the right angle. The Ravagers and Spitfires still charged through the asphalt and through the heavy air. Yi Sun Shin's men, Clint's gunslingers and the Sharpshooters nocked their arrows and aimed with their guns, waiting for the perfect moment…

And the king gives the go.

All at once, the defenses, along with the ranged portion of the army, began to bombard the enemy with arrows, explosives and ammunition, anything you say. A couple of Spitfires began to fall, their wings scorched. A couple of Ravagers foolishly took the blows, thinking they'd tank it easily, but the equipment was now enhanced. The firing began to cease after a couple of seconds as the shots were fired.

"Cease!" Estes commanded. "Ready yourselves." The Bastions responded immediately as they made the Phalanx formation with the Striders, the spears locking on the crevices left by the Bastions' shields, but they didn't move. Behind the frontlines, the others did the same creating a fully defensive spearhead wall… with spikes.

The demons were now closing, and it wasn't long before contact would be made.

"Brace yourselves!" Tigreal warns, but he himself was veering off the lines…

"What are you doing?" Hayabusa asked.

"On the count of three…"

The heroes were puzzled by Tigreal's dialogue, but after hearing the rumble of the engine, they knew the tactic.

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!" they said in unison as the spearhead split in two, revealing Johnson driving around as a car, Cyclops, Harley and Nana inside. The cyborg smashes through the mass of Ravagers, the onboard missile turrets and machine guns going haywire. As Johnson hits a Reaper, he transforms back into a cyborg, immediately blocking the claws in order to protect the young mages. The magicians scrambled to help Johnson, but they felt the sudden speed boost from Hylos' conjured pathway.

"Charge!" the centaur said. "For the Light!"

"For the Light!" His fellow warriors responded as they cleaved through the demons with their staffs and staves, virtually untouchable. Tigreal and a couple of Bastions left the main spearhead formation to help out in forcing the waves back. As they charged through a line of Hellhounds, the Striders suddenly leaped over the Bastions and impaled them, the shielded soldiers wedging through the preoccupied spearmen to defend them.

"Keep it steady, don't go too far!" Natalia warns, dashing around with her claw. A Spitfire nearly grabs her, but Fanny flies into the scene FROM THE MAIN WALLS OF THE KINGDOM, spinning like a top, her cables latching onto different rocks that Grock was spawning. She launches herself into the air and cuts down a Spitfire, Alpha following suit. The cyborg hovers to the ground and stabs a Reaper, allowing a Strider to finish it off. As he and the soldier becomes surrounded by the Hellhounds, Saber came to the rescue and unleashed four flying swords, preventing the demons from getting closer.

"Take the skies for now," Saber ordered. Alpha nods and flies off with Beta. Rafaela was stunning multiple Hellhounds, simply veering through the onslaught as she casts augments for her allies. Estes generates his spells and casts a blue link to Johnson, speeding up the regeneration of the cyborg's body.

"We need more peeps here!" Cyclops yelled. He shoots down a Hellbat, but as it fell, it was aiming to him with its claws. Gatotkaca intervenes and punches the Hellbat down to the ground before it hits the small giant. Harley throws his flaming cards. As the boy's magic improved, he simultaneously manipulates the cards' flight, shredding multiple enemies like interceptors. He teleports away, leaving his hat, only to miscalculate and bump into a Ravager. Before the demon could react, a .50 caliber bullet hits it.

"You should be out of here, sis!" Harley complains to Lesley.

"And what? Watch you die here unsupervised?" she asks, glaring at him. Without turning back, she flips her rifle and hits the flying Hellbat aiming for her. "Don't be so confident."

"Less scolding, more fighting!" Sun grumbles, his doppelgangers deceiving the demons. Four Reapers responded, trying to find out where the real Sun was. Zhao leaped behind a clone stabs a Reaper to the ground, but finds himself cornered by five more. He instinctively slides below them as Miya's arrow hit the Reapers through their skulls through the curving method.

The spearhead formation was barely out of place as the heroes cleared off the demons out of their way. A Spitfire lands on a Bastion's shield, but as it did, it blasted back off, as the kinetic force of the impact repelled back to it. Clint leaped into action with his crew, blasting and taking heads when the demons got too close. Clint slid on the barren ground and forced his momentum to the right, causing him to spin. He unleashed a bullet barrage around him, the cartridges of his revolvers emptying quickly. Whilst spinning, he quickly reloaded through the moon clips on his belt and continued, leaving huge holes on the bodies of the Ravagers. He spots one charging towards him. Clint jumps and flips backward, kicking the Ravager airborne to be taken down by one of Karrie's soldiers.

As Karrie herself begun to help in the charge, all the other heroes did the same. Estes let loose the Mortars again, but this time, aiming for the three kilometer mark, hoping to decrease the amount of demons that were pouring in. Massive explosions blocked the horizon, leaving a destructive aftermath.

If you may ask why Estes didn't fire at the Dark Lord, it's because he knew not to underestimate the enemy. After all, millennia of being cramped in a chest designed to keep the captive in is not healthy. He also knew that the Dark Lord also has the ability to redirect blasts back to the source.

What I was trying to say is… the Dark Lord can make the Mortar bombardment backfire.

"This is why we let the pawns got first," the antagonist explains. "None of us will go out for the meantime. If we assess their capabilities, it will be much less of a… _hassle_ … when we make our move."

The spirit eyes the scene below him.

Irithel has joined Karrie, riding Leo through the mishap. The smilodon constantly swipes around itself, knocking down the demons and giving space for the Bastions and Striders. Irithel urges Leo to stop as she shoots down a Reaper. She forces Leo to move again to avoid a Spitfire's clutches. Karrie follows along with her, leading the charge and making way. A Ravager got too close to her and she cuts it down with her disc still loaded onto her gauntlets. She mows down the incoming horde, using her discs like a melee weapon.

Gatotkaca bangs his fists and causes electric shockwaves around him, further amplified by Eudora's lightning bolts. Their arcane powers forked around, roasting the speedy Hellhounds and stunning them, allowing for easy kills by the Striders. A Hellbat sought retaliation, but was caught by Franco with his hook. The Viking pulls it towards him with ease and pounds it with his hammer.

"Chop chop, boys!" he cheers, a fellow soldier of his stabbing it with his knife. A sudden shockwave sends the two of them flying. Franco recovers and sees a new demon that was towering over him.

The creature was huge, but unlike the skinny protodrake, it was thick with flesh, and was naked in a way where it had no hair, just skin. It had no eyes or ears, and it made constant clicking sounds. Its huge jaws and mouth was absolutely rancid, and smelled of… well… trash. The awful stench it gave off almost made him hurl.

(Take note that Franco has been basically smelling raw fish and poultry his whole life. Just imagine that same stench, but… ten times worse.)

Before the creature could munch on Franco, one of the cannonballs from Bane's ship punches through its head, leaving a wide cavity on its skull. It drops dead, the clicking abruptly stopped.

"Wretches!" Tuk said, aiding Victor in escorting a wounded Strider. "They rely on echolocation, that's why they make clicking sounds. But with the amount of noise we're making, it doesn't have to. Be glad it's basically stupid!"

Lapu-Lapu goes forth with his merged greatsword, spinning around and basically harvesting the Hellhounds off of the ground with his upward cuts. Yi Sun Shin stays behind him and provides cover fire, shooting down an incoming Hellbat. The general charges his next projectile, and as he releases it, the arrow punctures through six Reapers with one go.

"We've got to find out how the Dark Lord could get that many demons. Does he have a reserve?" Franco asks.

"Worry about that later," Aurora answered as she brings down a savage hailstorm on the area before her, impaling the demons right on the spot. Eudora shocks the survivors to dust. The two mages step off as Gord unleashes his deadly gush right from the citadel, incinerating the Reapers and Wretches that cross its path. Lancelot dashes away from the beam, slicing and piercing through the Ravagers, giving space for the spearhead formation to breathe. Odette comes out of the formation in haste.

"Lance!" she calls out. The knight catches her words and swiftly picks her up right in the middle of the crossfire. As he set her down, she hoists her staff upward and begins to sing, causing a wide area of resonance around her. The Hellhounds drew close but they slowly disintegrated in the process. Lancelot knew she wouldn't hold out long without someone watching her back, so he stayed put beside her, fending the demons off of her.

A Spitfire decides to leap right towards the duo, but its face was met with Bruno's football, the Protector constantly dashing to and fro to confuse the demons.

"Oi! I'm here, you pile of trash!" he shouts, enticing the attention of a Wretch attempting to nab Lancelot and Odette. The beefy beast sprints with its four legs to snatch Bruno. He dashes towards the legs of a Reaper, and the Wretch mistook it for the hero, gobbling it in the process. As it was busy trying to familiarize the taste of its meal, Tigreal charged towards its head and stepped on it, leaping towards its spine and stabs his sword straight through it, paralyzing the beast. Natalia swipes with her claw and cuts through the Wretch's head, exposing its brain, leaving it dead on the spot.

Another Wretch comes into view, but Saber jumped from the ground and activates his thrusters, slicing straight through the demon's heart with his swords. He takes to the skies and lets Alpha administer to the low ground.

"You alright?" he asks Fanny, who was using Grock's body for her cables. The titan simply squishes the demons with his feet, but didn't attempt to use his tower.

"Yup, but I can use some help." The two sees the Hellbats coming straight towards them. The airborne heroes suddenly dive downward. Fanny latches a cable on one of Bane's ships, instantly propelling herself upward like a top of death, cutting through the Hellbats without warning. Saber lands on one of Bane's ships to clear out the Spitfires attempting to down them.

From below, Bruno has joined Lolita, who was busting demon skulls to the ground. A Reaper claws at her as she raises her shield, the attack deflected. Layla's bombardment forces the Hellhounds back as she guns down the Reaper. She eyes a Wretch behind her, and out of instinct, charged her cannon and overloads it, releasing a deadly beam of destruction that scorches the ground, leaving the huge demon virtually non-existent.

"New upgrades?" Lolita asked.

"It took me days to install. Like it?"

"Ask later!" Clint hollered. One of his fellow shooters filled a Ravager's body with bullets, but it didn't die as it dove towards him. Roger, in his werewolf state, intervened, hacking the assailant with his claws. Ruby calls for his attention as she jumps on his back. Roger brings Ruby along the ride as the two slice and dice the Hellhounds to kingdom come. Roger was nicked by a Reaper's paralyzing agent, but Estes applies a healing link towards the werewolf, stabilizing his condition. Estes and Rafaela cast their slowing wards on a Wretch. Roger goes through the side and shreds its legs, Ruby's scythe effortlessly cutting through the naked hide like butter to knife. She hops off, landing next to Alucard, who wasn't intent on using his powers as of now.

"That was awesome," he whispered. "I knew you and your father would make a great team."

"Creativity's a must." The two of them become surrounded by Reapers. "You got an idea?"

Alucard lets out a whistle, and a resounding roar fills the air. The cerulean protodrake dives toward their location, thrashing the demons to give them space. It lets out its black breath, scorching the Hellbats and Ravagers. Alucard yanks Ruby's arm and throws her toward a hellhound. She instinctively spins and hacks it down. The Demon Hunter throws his greatsword on a Wretch's skull, but it survives. He wills himself toward it as he blinks towards his weapon and proceeds to drag it along the Wretch's hide, splitting it in half.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Akai asked as he slams the butt of his staff to a hellhound.

"Last night."

Akai looks behind Alucard and gave a warning signal. "Help out Chou! He's cornered!"

Alucard and Ruby stops their assault as they attempt to save their friend.

Chou, on the other hand, is not having fun. Exploiting the weakest members, the horde chose him as the first target.

(Not that I'm saying Chou is weak. He's underestimated.)

A Strider comes in and helps, but a Hellbat catches the soldier's shoulders and lifts him up into the air for its pack to feast on. Chou remained helpless as he punches through the horde to the ground on his own, and it wasn't long before he found himself encircled by Ravagers.

"Alright, you stink pickles, I'm done having games!" He bursts his fists and feet aflame as he deals a huge roundhouse kick on the nearest Ravager. As it was in the air, he catches up to it, proceeding to kick it as hard as he could. The momentum eventually led him to kick through a Wretch, but the hide was too strong. Out of frustration, Chou yells as he kicks the beast high into the air, nearly reaching the altitude of Bane's ships. As gravity took over, he punches the Wretch's face as he falls, kicking away the Spitfires and Hellbats nearing him. As he reached terminal velocity, he casts his last punch to the ground, causing a medium shockwave that breaks the sound barrier by a split second, splitting the nearby demons' bodies in half.

Alucard and Ruby reached him in time.

"Yo, that was awesome!" the Kung Fu boy cheered. "I want to do it again!" His celebration ceased as he nearly gets hit by a Hellhound. Freya jumps in and stomps the demon to the ground and stabs its body.

The Valkyrie bashed and dashed with her shield, knocking down the demons blocking her way. Rushing to aid, she helps up a wounded soldier from Karina's army. Hilda replaced her from the charge and cleaved her way with Balmond and his orcs, forcing a mild retreat to the demons. Yun Zhao simply sprints around the perimeter, nicking and poking and slicing the bodies of demons with his speed. He slides down to dodge a swipe attack from a Wretch as Miya began to litter its face with her arrows. She cloaks herself for a short time, confusing the Hellhounds aiming for her. An Archimedian boosts her combat prowess, significantly upping her fire rate as she let loose three arrows per second, and along with the coordinated barrage of ammunition from the Sharpshooters. Hylos and his centaurs received no casualties as they led on the charge, Johnson and Minotaur causing discoordination to the hordes.

But it wasn't over. Hayabusa teleports from one side to the other and he picks off the demons that he could. Kagura's blue umbrella zips and flies along with Hayabusa, and she teleports to its location. She makes the umbrella rotate around them, forming a defensive ward that repels demons off. As Hayabusa engages his Shadow Kill, Kagura launches her umbrella right on the center spot and snaps her fingers. Multiple violet links lock the Ravagers, Reapers and Hellhound in place as Mino leaps with unprecedented height. As the demons were pulled back, Kagura teleports right under the umbrella and dashes back, allowing Minotaur to have a clean runway, and more importantly, a good ol' game of whack-a-mole.

Right after Minotaur beats the demons to a pulp, a Wretch slaps him off with such force, causing him to get a bit of air time. He lands easily and with balance, giving the army no hassle to recover from the shockwave. The fray was now filled with lesser Ravagers and Hellhounds and more Reapers and Wretches. The spearhead formation, along with the heroes, stood guard. The protodrake flew close and roared at the demons, hoping to scare them off, but to no avail. They began to come close.

"If you need it, I can do it!" Alucard called out, prepping himself. Before he could, he was interrupted by the sharp howl of the wind.

The army looks behind them as the clouds began to darken. Green lightning forked and blazed the airborne threats as Argus divebombed straight into the battlefield, driving the Reapers off with his aura. The arrogant Wretches charged and attempted to claw him, but he stood invincible with his wings unfurled, his blade shredding their hide like paper. As his vision was clear, he threw his claw toward the frontline and proceeded to charge.

He yelled, "What are you doing standing there? Kill something!"

"You heard the dude," Gossen said. "Let's go!"

The army lets out their battle cry as they break their formation and charge as one, the tides in their favor. As the fallen angel made way, the whole frontal comeback overwhelmed the demons, requiring less use of the kingdom's defenses. As Argus stopped his rally, he fell back calmly, reminding the troops about their limits. The army didn't march far enough, but they placed their new spearhead formation, restricting the demons' initiative approach.

"This is going to be a lot of fun. Am I right?" Karina asked Miya.

"A whole lot of damn fun. On your left." Karina heard the cue and sliced from her left, decapitating a Hellhound.

The rinse and repeat cycle continued for the first day, and it ceased as night began to fall. It proved to be a good bout for the Land of Dawn, as they hoped for far more worse in the start.

But things were far from over.

 _ **ERROR! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!**_

 _(The following is an audio log. The speaker's identity is unknown, as well as the recording apparatus used._

 _There's no date enlisted for this audio log.)_

" _********, if you are hearing this, it means that the distribution of the [VOICE STATIC] is barely even fruitful. We have given_ it _to specific people. We had to rely on the intrusion of their personal data to confirm if they are worthy candidates. Rest assured, their profiles remain unscathed and untampered._

 _Only one of them has been able to respond positively and is willing to complete the task. His in-game name is [VOICE WARPING], and he's from [VOICE WARPING]. We know the drill. Under no circumstances shall we force the individual to complete the task. My support team has it under control. He has promised not to tell of anyone concerning the task, and he is keeping his promise. I repeat, we do not need to force him to accomplish the task. Doing so will permanently backfire our plans._

 _He has been making great progress thus far, ********. He has [VOICE STATIC]. I will keep on giving updates. Remember the deal. If he is successful, then we must give what is due. If he hits the jackpot, he deserves the recognition. Whatever he unravels, we hope that it is beneficial for this product of ours._

 _This is your trusted employee, [VOICE STATIC]."_

 _ **END OF TRANSMISSION.**_


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: The High Stakes Game**

Remember when I said that there will be deaths?

No, that doesn't mean I'll kill off anyone in this chapter. I'm not THAT cruel to kill off people in such an early manner.

In fact, I don't think our beloved heroes will die that easily. After all, they ARE our heroes, whether you like them or not.

That also indicates that the antagonists will be a pain in the butt to kill off. Don't worry, I'll make you have this intense feeling of satisfaction when they do get slain.

Also, just try to imagine the simple- I mean, AWESOME, teamwork when you play with your team in a Ranked Match (if your team was actually ANY good. XD). That way, it would make things more comprehensible.

I am taking my time with talking to you, dear reader. I might not be able to talk anymore in the next few chapters, and no one will be able to hold your hand as you delve deeper into this story's dramatic climax.

Am I right? Is it climax?

Yep, it is. Phew, good thing my English classes paid off.

Oh, lord, just imagine if I said it wrongly and it was actually falling action.

Anyway, I have to say that things are pretty boring and sluggish throughout the first few days. The last ones? They're intensive as heck. Like, so intensive that I was on the verge of swearing in this story.

I'm glad this is typewritten.

Let's get to it.

"Forecast is clear," Saber announces. "Clear skies, no signs of sudden anomalies. Maintain regular security rotation."

As he announces via the loudspeaker, the civilians have started to calm down throughout. People are actually confident in going outside (as long as they have a weapon of some sort). The streets, the avenues, the highways, everything was calm. But now, it's growing dead silent.

Beyond the walls, the original spearhead formation remains tight, and the soldiers rotate position and order every hour to prevent the preoccupied from imminent exhaustion. Tigreal has also commanded to initiate the rotation phase when an attack occurs while the second half of the lapsing hour.

Half of Bane's ships were on the air, serving as scouts. Grock was sitting on the far side with his eyes peeled. He sees the corruption growing stagnant, which shows that the Dark Lord isn't intent on making a move. It could be a bluff or a tactic.

Whatever it is, it can't be good.

"I have this weird feeling in my chest," Victor huffed.

"Why do you say that?"

"Yinsen, you know what I mean. If the Dark Lord has the means of crushing us here and now, then why is he keeping himself cozy on the other side?"

"I've been thinking about that as well. He must have a snarky surprise up his sleeve. I bet it will show up on the sixth day."

Victor eyes Karina's army drifting to and fro around the streets, keeping watch. Most of the Sharpshooters, except for Lesley, Miya, and Clint's mates, were having their eyes trained on the borders, initiating the same rotation procedures as the ones below.

"We aren't enough, aren't we?"

"If we don't stick together, we won't win this war."

"There might come a time when sacrifice is the only option."

"I hope not, lad."

Meanwhile…

Franco, along with Yi and their troops, have taken the time to doze off for now, letting the others keep watch. The beach and the port wasn't experiencing any sort of bad weather.

In fact, everything is so stationary that there were barely ANY WAVES crashing down the beach's white sands.

Gatotkaca, being the mystic warrior, couldn't sleep. He took off his gauntlets and laid his hands to rest. He was put to the test by the gods before, but he did know that this is a whole other level, something he mustn't shrug off that confidently. He sighed as he kept his eyes on the calm horizon, guarding Lapu-Lapu and his tribe.

"Need a drink?" Yi Sun Shin asked, handing Gatot a cup of coffee. He simply rejected.

"Serenity."

"Hm?"

"I've never felt so much of it before."

The general set down his cup. "It amazes me to see how everything is set in the right time. All of us here, working together, to stop a common enemy."

"This, Dark Lord… is he as powerful as you think he is?"

"Legend says that he grew careless in the first clash. So careless, that it didn't take long before he was vanquished, and imprisoned in the Dreadmare Chest. But as he stayed there and let his fragments do the talking, the original soul remained in that very box and honed his powers. Even while inside, he had the potential to control a piece of his soul that was outside. When we freed him, the corruption he unleashed wiped the forest behind us and rendered it null, virtually irreparable."

"And we're the only ones left to stop him?"

"All of us are here. Yet, no matter how strict the implementations, no matter how perfect the executions, we just won't be enough, statwise. That's what our king fears. It's what we do as well."

"But we have hope."

"Different sides, different goals. One, to preserve, the second, to raze. If we don't win, not only this world will become victim of the spirit's relentless fury."

"Which is why all of you are keeping a careful eye on the boy."

Franco barges in loudly. "Alucard? Of course we do. We owe a lot to that kid. Heh, without him, I won't be standing here already."

"Me too," Yi adds.

"The three of us, I guess."

Meanwhile…

"Alright, dammit, I can't sleep."

Zhao has made up his mind as he tried to shut his eyes while Hayabusa has kept watch as a replacement. They were stationed on the storages, hoping that someone (or something) wouldn't be foolish enough to steal supplies. So far, they did catch a beggar, and out of pity, gave him a few apples.

"C'mon, what's it that makes you feel too hyped?" the ninja whispered. "If the war is getting to you, then I understa-"

"It's not about the war. I am worried about _you_ , most especially your interactions with _her_."

"Who? Kagura? Yun, we're fine. We haven't argued ever since. Heck, we're solid. No one's interfering. You should be more worried about Miya, even if-"

"No, it's not that. I can feel my suspicions arising, Haya. It's burning right through me. Dude, have you noticed something weird about Kagura lately?"

"Hmm… none that I know of," Hayabusa answered calmly.

"She seems less carefree now. I noticed how she fought. She was cautious, and we know Kagura. Something's definitely up when she acts like that." Zhao walks up to Haya slowly to prevent waking up Akai. "Be honest with me. You're keeping a secret."

"W-what?"

"You're stammering. C'mon, just spill it."

"Zhao, nothing's wrong. I-"

"Tell me. Is she-"

The ninja swiftly raises his arm and clamps Yun's mouth shut. His eyes widen as he nods in agreement. He let go, and let the spearman's thinking kick in. After a few seconds, Zhao's face of confusion turned into enlightenment, then, a face of worry.

"HOLY-"

"Keep. It. Down."

"So I was right… Oh, damn…"

"Promise me that you will not tell anyone. Let me plan it through."

"Dude… I… I don't know what to say. Hayabusa… we have to protect her."

As soon as the last word left his lips, the alarm blared.

"Let's talk about this later."

Everything was back in action as the sun rose. It seems that throughout the night, the Sharpshooters have taken down several Hellhounds that acted as scouts and lookouts, intensifying the fact that the Dark Lord was keeping an eye on them. So far, the spearhead formation survived without a scratch.

"Status," Estes asked Saber.

"No movement yet. They could be amassing a bigger force. A thin layer of fog is beginning to shroud the area. It will barely hinder our vision, fortunately."

"No new enemies?"

"There are only Morphlings in the area," Roger said. "They aren't even sticking together. Let the shooters take down what they can. Let's not make any funny business."

The spearhead formation remained calm, but alert, as the Morphlings before them eyed them with dark intent. Some began to scurry out. However, things began to change as Argus eyes out a red orb floating on the sky.

"Alice!" he warns. The midline Striders immediately aimed their spears at the sky in a forty-five degree angle, paying their attention to the orb. The shape began to fall due to the gravity, and in mid-air, Alice herself materializes. Behind her, a swarm of Morphlings sped up to join her.

"Welcome, dears!" she taunted. "How's it going on your side?"

Bruno eyed the scene from the walls with Chou and Alucard. "Well, would you look at that! The witch has come back. What does she want this time?"

"It seems she completely healed after our last ordeal," the Demon Hunter thought.

Alucard's mind buzzed as he received a telepathic message.

" _Keep yourself hidden."_

He noticed Estes looking at him strictly. Alucard nodded at him in agreement.

"She might be looking out for you, man," Chou worriedly reminds. "Stay low."

"No hello? How rude," Alice grumbles. "Where is the honor?"

"What are you doing here, Alice?" Hylos asks, raising his scepter. "We aren't up for negotiations with you, or your allies. What do you want?"

"Well, I've come to tell you that there will be a few… conditions, regarding this event." She walks up near the army, but stopped after being a couple of meters away from them. "It would be better if you gave up early."

"And become your slaves?" Rafaela barges. "No thanks, I'd rather die."

"Sister, sister, why do you stay there, with your weakling of a brother? What a waste of time and effort, Rafaela. Get yourself checked. As I was saying, my master will test you before he does come out. I assume we all know that. Either way, you will lose, so why bother? We're going to prevent the gem from ever coalescing when the time comes. And the barrier? It may keep our pets out, but me and my friends will still be able to get in without any hassle. And besides, no matter what the case, Gaius is doomed to cease!"

Barely anyone ever budged, training their eyes on Alice. Well, she was intent on trying to change their minds, but she already knew it was of no use.

"Well then. If you're that thick headed, then let me show you the consequences. Ta-ta!" She clapped her hands, and below her, the ground erupted as a Wretch unearthed itself. As it pounced on the Bastions, they held their auras together and blew back the beast's momentum, knocking it a couple of meters away. As it regained its footing, it roared loudly, beckoning the swarm of Morphlings to group.

Alice was nowhere in sight.

"Their numbers will overwhelm us," Johnson speculates. "They barely need the Wretch. What we need is to clear off the Morphlings first before we get the big guy."

Minotaur leaps into the air and crashes his hammer into the spine of the Wretch. However, instead of staying down, the beast tried to swipe Minotaur, who was desperately staying on the sides to prevent getting clawed. The spearhead formation slowly advances as the bull pushes the Wretch away, but he would soon lose.

"Can anyone help Mino?!" Rafaela asks. "I'll clear out the Morphlings!"

Fortunately, the angel didn't have to, because the sky grew dark, and blue lightning scatters around the field, roasting ALL of the Morphlings to a crisp through a multitude of chain reactions.

"Eudora is with the Gem," Gord says, casting mystic fields from the backline to push the Wretch farther. "What we need is more muscle against that Wretch! It will be long before Eudora is ready for another wave!"

A few Bastions in the front separate along with a couple of Striders, rushing to Minotaur's aid. Meanwhile, the bull swipes away the incoming bites of the Wretch, his hammer dropped. Gatotkaca rushes into the fray, catching Mino's attention. Minotaur pulls himself out of the demon's clutches to be replaced. Gatot punches the stampeding wretch with his gloves. It did deal a bad concussion, yet, if the Wretch has to be put down, he must do it fast.

"Can't Grock simply squish that behemoth?" Sun asked. He looks out for the titan, who, unfortunately was fending off the airborne Hellbats and Spitfires with Bane's ships. Alpha and Fanny were now on the scene, trying to clear both the land and air threats.

Minotaur, who was wounded, let himself establish a healing link with Estes, and joins Gatot once more. The Elven King orders the army to stay put.

"Why is this thing so tough to kill?!" the warrior complains. As he was about to land a blow through the Wretch's skull, a Morphling tackles him, but was met by Tigreal's blade. The gilded knight pushes through Morphling horde (which was not so interested in him), but as he was coming to stab the Wretch, the Morphlings took action. The spearhead formation braced for a breach, but the swarm diverted course and headed straight for Tigreal and Gatot. Minotaur kicks, stomps and swipes the swarm to the air, but it was no use. The Sharpshooters and Archimedians are doing their job, but the Morphlings were toppling over each other.

(If you watched the movie World War Z, then yes, that's how aggressive the Morphling Swarm is. Hundreds upon hundreds, maybe thousands. What they lack in individual strength is what they bolster in numbers.)

The Demon Hunter clan has went in as well, throwing their Molotov cocktails and nullifying gases to incapacitate the horde. Some were set aflame, some were put to sleep. They brought out their axes and swords and sliced through, giving Minotaur, Gatot and Tigreal some breathing.

"It's an enhanced breed!" Victor calls out. "It grows more resilient every time you hit it! Make your blow count, or it will be tougher to kill!" He throws a nullifying gas, causing the Wretch to choke. The bad news is, it didn't even begin to doze, much less, stifle a yawn. The good news is, As soon as Gatot punched its legs, it broke easily.

"The gas will only last for so long, we have to kill it as soon as possible!" Minotaur warns. Estes is forced to use the Mortars again, but didn't dare activate the static field. The explosive shells bounced out and about and delivered hellfire to the inbound Morphlings. Only a few survived, but many have begun to push back the spearhead formation.

The Striders kept up with the pace, stabbing the demons that came close. Miya was letting loose her arrows. She had no problem in terms of running out of arrows. The problem was the amount of demons closing in.

Finally, Gatot, Minotaur and Tigreal has subdued the beast, slicing and crushing its legs. Minotaur landed the killing blow and smashed its head with the hammer, putting it down once and for all.

"We have to help them clear the field," Gatot reminds. He bangs his gauntlets, taunting the Morphlings to attack him instead. Tigreal raises his shield as he blocks the path. Irithel roams around the midline, shooting down the Morphlings with her crossbow.

Freya asked, "Where are the mages?" She slices upward and follows up with an aerial slash, slaying a Morphling and a Spitfire.

"They're at the backline. They're waiting for their call!" an Archimedian replies.

"Call them now. We need disablers here, ASAP!"

Gord launches a wide beam of death, roasting the Morphlings to dust. He moves around with it, pushing the swarm away.

"Fall back for now," Estes commands. "It's too risky to advance, now that we know the Wretches can burrow. Fortunately, we can detect them, but if we do, it could be too late."

And he was right.

"Bogies, up front!" Lesley notes through her radio. "Three of those things!"

"Wait," Karina interrupts, wiping the blood off her blades. "Did she just say there were three Wretches?"

"They're enhanced!" Harley calls, Nana and Cyclops behind him. "They're enhanced… What do we do?"

"Is Eudora ready for another blast?"

"In five minutes!" Nana reminded. "Tigreal, Gatot and Mino can't take it all alone, and we can't have Argus in the field. He has to keep watch."

"Then we're coming in."

The group looks behind them to see Alucard, Bruno, Chou, Lolita, Ruby, Roger, Akai, Hayabusa and Kagura.

"Let the three take a rest. We'll call if we need them," Akai suggests. "We may not be able to kill them, but we'll give you some time."

"With the nine of you, the Morphlings will pick you rather than us! I'm going as well!" Freya volunteers.

"The more we get, the more we need, but let's not exceed!" Roger huffs.

Zhao and Lapu-Lapu join in. The group nods as they exit through the spearhead formation.

The new Wretches were a lot faster now, but their adaptability remains the same. The twelve heroes split into groups of four, splitting each beast's attention. The Demon Hunter clan falls back to the formation.

"Alright, plain and simple," Alucard mutters. "Kill them quick enough." Yet, with Chou, Ruby and Akai, it still won't be easy.

Akai jumps on the Wretch's back and began to ride on it like a bull on a rodeo. The beast snorts in annoyance, proceeding to move every part of its body to wiggle the panda off. Chou lands his fiery fists on the legs and belly, but it was ineffective.

"Chou, dull its senses. Hit its noggin'!" Akai orders.

"Its breath stinks! What makes you think I can bear that?!"

"There's no use complaining, because if you don't, we'll die!" Ruby argues, cutting the leg off the Wretch, but she received the hard kick of the other hind leg.

In the other group, Freya, Lapu, Zhao and Lolita was stabbing and cutting down their Wretch, but as they were simple wounds, the Wretch began to adapt, overcoming the pain. Zhao jumps and leaps with one foot on the Wretch's head and strikes his spear right through the skull. The demon shrieked with agony as it flung its head around. Zhao kept his grip on his spear as Lapu attempts to incapacitate the Wretch by cutting its legs, but Lolita halts.

"Zhao, can you control the thing?!"

"In some points, yeah!"

"Use it to take the other ones down!"

"Yeah, now we're talking!" Zhao pushes the spear forward, causing the Wretch to speed through the one that Alucard and his team was addressing. But Ruby was in the way.

Chou saw it.

"Zhao is coming to collide the two Wretches!" he calls. "Ruby is in the way!"

He caught Alucard's attention. The Demon Hunter noticed it and attempted to save her, but she wasn't unconscious. She was waiting.

Ruby held out her hand, signaling that she was alright.

"Goddamnit, why isn't Ruby moving?!" Akai loudly thought. The Wretch caught Ruby's scent and immediately stampeded to her direction.

"Chou! Expose your Wretch's neck with your kick to its face! I know what Ruby is doing!" Zhao calls from afar, but they were nearing…

"One."

"Two…"

"Three!" Ruby slides away as Chou comes in, his roundhouse kick coming into contact with their Wretch. It did expose his neck for Zhao's ride to bite. Out of instinct, Zhao's Wretch clamped its jaws, tearing the head of its fellow kind off of its shoulders, killing it. Ruby slides below the surviving Wretch's underbelly, slicing below and exiting through the other side, spilling its guts. The beast let out a painful moan as it went down.

Hayabusa, Kagura, Bruno and Roger were done. Roger was in Wolf Form, his fur covered in blood.

"That was too risky," Bruno breathed out, chuckling out of nervousness. "Don't you dare do that again!"

The celebration was short lived.

Out of all the commotion, they didn't see the red orb pass to the center, and Alice appears, blasting them out. Chou dodges out of the blast just in time, preventing himself from getting thrown off.

"How did you like my test?" she asked.

"You're tempting," Chou mumbles. "But nope." He releases a flurry of punches to Alice. She tanks the shots, but it barely fazes her. As she attempted to block his next attack, he feigned and let Freya next, her shield bashing Alice out of the field. Alice simply rolls and regains her footing (which is near impossible. SHE'S WEARING HIGH HEELS! HOW?!).

"Come, my darlings!" she sang, beckoning the Morphlings. "Aim for the Hunter!"

"Alucard, she's aiming for you!" Hayabusa goes in front of him and clears away the Morphlings for him. Balmond and his Orcs, along with Hilda and her group, charges in. They blocked the Morphlings, but some jumped over, fixated on attacking Alucard.

"I heard you have something new to show us. Care to demonstrate?" Alice challenged. "I'd like to see you try."

Alucard signals his friends to let them know that he will retreat for the meantime. However, as soon as he faced behind, five new Wretches blocked them, surrounding them.

"They're cornered!" Saber notices, calling Fanny. The two of them fly with insane speeds and slashes the Wretches' backs, but the beasts never flinched, standing their ground. The Bastions and Striders in the frontline have begun to attempt to force them out of the way, but it was no use. The beasts didn't put their attention to the army. Even worse, the excess Morphlings have begun to attack the midline, putting them in a risky situation.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Freya mumbles. She swaps places with Chou as she attacks from above, but her attack was dodged. She lunged with her sword to hit Alice, but the cut healed in a near-instantaneous manner.

"Mere stabs won't hurt me anymore, Valkyrie. A shame your sisters won't come and watch you die." Alice raises her hands, causing a blood trap to snag Freya's feet. Before she could strike, Lolita blocked her path and deflected Alice with her shield. The stun broke the trap, setting Freya free. Lolita swung around, but she hit Morphlings around her instead.

"Look around you, elf. It will be unfortunate if you die too early. If you don't let your friend come here, then I guess I have to go above my master's orders, and we don't want that, do we?"

"Alucard was right. Witches do talk a lot." Lolita raised her hammer, overpowering the energy inside it. Alice snickered as she began to swipe her claws toward her, but a greatsword cuts her arm clean off. Alucard teleports to it while it's in mid-air.

"What in-"

Alice couldn't continue as soon as Lolita hit the ground, causing a massive stasis shockwave that had concussions powerful enough to make the Morphlings explode. The resonating waves stunned the Wretches as well, giving more time for their friends to take them out.

Alucard watched as Alice's arm simply faded into black sand, while she, herself, grew a new one.

(No, I'm not kidding. She literally grew a new one from scratch.)

"Nice try, but remember, Hunter, I can't be killed by these weapons of yours, and same goes for Vexana, Zhask, the Shadowbringer, and my master. If you wish to end me, show me your true power!"

"I won't do that. If you want it, force it out."

"Alucard!" Bruno calls. "What do you think you're doing?! Don't challenge that crazy woman! Don't fight her!"

Bruno launches a ricocheting volleyball straight towards the mass of Morphlings, stunning them one by one, giving a clear shot for the marksmen. Hilda between two Wretches as she swung her axe and spun, cutting their stomachs off as quick as she could. The beasts slowly went down, and as they were finished off, they limped in despair.

"I have millions more of my lovely pets, Alucard. You won't win this time. My side may have flunked in the first war, but we've adapted!"

Alucard flipped and struck his weapon to the ground. Alice hovered suddenly to dodge it, and she leaped to him with her claws. The Demon hunter blocks it with the flat of his sword. Seeing an opening, he ducks, and as he slid through the ground, Alucard raised his greatsword, slicing Alice through where the sun doesn't shine.

(Did you think it was that easy? NO.)

Alucard raised his head in astonishment as he saw the fatal wound disappear in seconds.

" _How is she surviving them?!"_

"I don't care if it will take weeks to hack you down!"

Alice cackled. "You see, Alucard? The Land of Dawn may have had years of preparation, but we? We had millennia to spare. That alone proves our superiority!"

Alice shrieked, letting out a wide blast of dark energy, blasting Alucard out. As he was trying to stand, she charged, but Ruby intervenes and slices with her scythe, doing the same exact move Alucard did, but even more fatal.

But instead of stopping Alice, the two halves of her simply went through and meshed again, and now, her complete self had her hands on Alucard's neck. He attempts to switch his sword hand, but she pushes the sword outward to his left side.

"SHOW ME! The Fall's blessing may take over, but it's a waste of potential. Show me, Alucard, or my pets will bring your friends down!"

He grunts as he calls the sword through his telepathy, and the sword flies back to his right arm. He began to get invigorated by the sudden power, his eyes filled with red mist of hatred. Alucard uses both of his legs and kicks Alice off him high into the air. She retains control with her wings. Alucard stood up and rushed behind him to take down the Wretches. He threw his greatsword and it lodged itself into a Wretch's back. Alice caught him, tried to keep him there, but he teleports to his blade, and dug it deep into the Wretch's skin. He runs along its side, dragging the greatsword. As he reached the end, gallons of blood spilled out from the beast as it whimpered and died.

" _Four left. Focus on your task, Alucard, and get out while you still can!"_

He kept repeating his objective in his thoughts like a mantra. Alucard had to slice down the Wretches before Alice or the Morphlings would overcome their defensive force.

Lapu-Lapu dug his twin blades to a Wretch's back and begun to ride it, forcing it to attack to where Lapu wants it to. It claws around, but it hits the swarm of Morphlings around, scattering them. The Bastions and Striders moved away and were replaced with a new squadron. A Wretch lost focus and decided to attack the open spearhead formation, but Minotaur pummels it to the barren ground and smashes its skull without remorse, preventing a potential massacre.

"Too close," Estes muttered. "We can't advance, it's too risky."

"Let me try!" Aurora swept with her hands and casted a transparent dome of ice around the heroes cornered by the Wretches. One of the beasts landed its fists, and the barrier was broken. It was, however, beneficial for the group because it gave them a clear opening. Zhao jumped on one, but Alice's red orb threw him off. The sphere followed down with him, and before Alice could materialize, Kagura switched places with Zhao in time.

Hayabusa saw this and began to panic.

"No! Kagura, get out of there!"

"That was either brave or foolish, girl!" Alice snarled, slashing at the mage while she protected herself with a pink force field. Akai came in and swung his staff, but the Queen caught it. Bruno went in and slid in the air, aiming his feet at her face.

A perfect hit.

As soon as he did, he raised his free foot and kicked Alice's face to the dirt with the short end of his foot.

"Yeah, you like that, you witch?!" he taunted. The trio immediately scampered as Alice began to retaliate. Her wings unfurled and a blood aura began to germinate.

"She's going to leech us dry if we keep close!" Balmond warned, swapping places with the trio. He leaps and brings down his axe to Alice's skull. Again, it barely did nothing, much less made her BLEED. She grinned mischievously as she effortlessly pushed the double-sided axe with her hands ON THE SHARP EDGE, forcing Balmond out. Her splitting wound immediately healed. Hilda charges from behind and slashes Alice's ankles, fazing her momentarily. And the process went. Hilda desperately locks down Alice and puts her to her knees with the blows, while Balmond hacks her off on her torso. But nevertheless, it wasn't worth it, unless you count that it brought Alucard enough time to kill the other Wretches.

Alice groaned as she caught both axes by the blade and pushed them off from her. She let forth an orb that homed in on Alucard who was finishing off the remaining Morphlings. As it hit the mark, she materialized out and pinned Alucard to the ground.

"SHOW ME! I'VE HAD ENOUGH WITH-"

Alucard brought up his greatsword with his left hand, slicing off Alice's face, but the wound closed again. Yinsen throws a nullifying gas, but Alice's deflects it off with her free arm, rendering it useless. Chou raced as he brought down a flaming fist, but Alice grabbed him by the neck and locks him down with her aura.

Alucard struggles as his friends foolishly attempts to save him, only to be locked by Alice's aura. With every lasting second, she goes stronger.

And he has no choice.

"Eudora, now!" Estes said as he casts a stasis ward, slowing down the leeching process that Alice underwent. The Sharpshooters and marksmen simultaneously launched their projectiles, and they stopped their travel as it hit the stasis ward. As Eudora unleashes her storm, the lightning arcs through, but it didn't aim for Alice.

It aimed for the Demon Hunter.

"LET THEM GO!"

The ward negates as another warped blast breaks the other heroes free. Alice squinted her eyes out of the dust and sees Alucard with white lightning synergizing with his demonic powers. Luckily, the sword was on his right arm rather than his left. All of the bullet holes and punctures Alice received forced her body to heal slower.

He threw his sword, and it traveled much faster than it should. Alice dodged it as it charges, but Alucard teleports just in time and slashes her back, nearly cutting off her wing. And the wound healed a lot slower.

"What is this?!" Alice asked, bewildered. Alucard's clothes began to morph back into black, his greatsword bursting into flames. Alice suddenly felt asphyxiation, struggling with her breathing.

Her blood aura barely worked as Alucard slices her body into two again. The wound mended, but the painful, contorted expression on Alice's face was prominent.

"Now you feel what I felt in that rancid pit," Alucard said, but it wasn't his voice.

"Why are you… so stubborn?!" Alice said in frustration, leaping at him for the last time. Alucard angled his sword horizontally, and the two collided.

Alice's legs was torn clean off of her torso (I know, gross, right?), but the wounds themselves were cauterized. Alucard's clothes were torn, but after a while, it mended along with the fatal claw marks, and they reduced into thin scars. Alice choked in pain as she tried to understand the air she was even breathing at the moment.

"You… How…"

"Radioactive incense," Alucard explains. "Harmless for us, but lethal for you. You wanted me to show what I can do, but not this time. I cannot kill you now, but I had made you suffer!"

He brings down his sword to stab Alice, but darkness began to cloud his vision.

"I know you're there, Helcurt."

He sees a small outline racing to Alice. It grabbed her top half, rather than her lower half, as Alice's legs began to dissipate to black sand.

" _Mark my words, Hunter… Your end draws n-n-n-near… One day, you will know the truth through suffering!"_

Alucard's vision returns, and the two were gone. He looked around him, but they were nowhere in sight. The Demon Hunter's clothes turned red again, and his greatsword went back to normal. His eyes were no longer filled with red mist. He put the sword on his back and turned around.

"Alucard! You alright?" Estes asked.

"I'm fine, Estes, but thank you."

Ruby sighed. "With that impact we landed on Alice, it will take some time before the next wave comes."

The others went up to check on him, and Yi Sun Shin spots something odd.

"Alucard… your arm."

"What about-" Alucard notices the purple scales and spines slowly growing from his elbow to his upper right arm, nearly reaching his shoulder. He felt slight numbness on the covered spot.

Saber and Fanny lands on the ground with Alpha. The cyborg assessed the situation, and concluded. "It seems that what we feared has come. The demonization process is starting. If Alucard keeps using his right arm, the process continues."

"Wait," Karrie interrupts. "How long before it covers him?"

"So far, Alucard has used his abilities for approximately 20 minutes," Alpha adds. "He can only tolerate a maximum amount of 6 hours."

"What happens after 6 hours of usage?" Natalia asks.

"Then we lose him, and then…"

"Then what?"

"Then it's up for fate to decide whether he's a mindless ally, or a volatile enemy. Either way, we will lose the war."

 _ **ERROR! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!**_

 _(The following video tape has been considered to be taken through a pair of 'spy glasses', which were used discreetly. The wearer, however, has been unidentified._

 _The feed shows the corridors of an abandoned building, recently used as a wide parking lot. Bits of paper and trash flew with the rising wind. Excessive amateur graffiti mark the cracked walls. It's also confirmed that the wearer is also talking to someone else. The two seem to be sitting on two abandoned office chairs near the stairs._

 _Both the date, the identity of the persons, and the exact location remains unknown. The person communicating with the wearer, who has been confirmed as a female, has her face blurred out completely, along with a pixel block.)_

" _Hey, why here out of all places? I mean, I know this isn't some scary parking lot, but it feels… intriguing."_

" _I often come here after school days. It's really, well, comforting. I can do anything I want here before I go home. Not that I am depressed and all. Everything feels nostalgic here. I can remember anything, and no one stops me."_

" _What is it about, anyway? And come on, my friends are waiting for me. They're going to invite me in a Ranked match."_

" _Well… I have a secret, that I should tell you."_

" _If it's secret, then why share?"_

" _I've been, um… ordered, that I do what I want with this information. Don't worry, it's not deemed classified. Call it an open secret."_

" _Okay…"_

" _You see, we all ask ourselves this one question, 'How did the game came to be?'"_

" _Yeah, that's still an unsolved mystery."_

" _All around, people are making hoaxes and conspiracies, thinking of ways to make others side with their theories. But it seems that we're smart enough to not believe them, since their proof is also fabricated."_

" _It seems your sense of humor is still intact, ********."_

" _Anyway, what if I told you that I really know the truth?"_

" _I wouldn't believe you."_

" _Surely, ********. That's why I am giving you this."_

 _(The wearer fishes out a silver hard drive from his bag, with an indistinguishable label written on masking tape.)_

" _What's that for?"_

" _If you've been longing for the source that crafted a masterpiece that changed this world, then it's right inside this hard drive. It's your choice whether or not to scan it, but do it discreetly."_

" _Um… I don't understand."_

" _I assure you, no harm will come to you. If there was, then I wouldn't have brought you here in the first place. I'm your friend, ********. Trust me for once."_

" _Sure."_

 _(The companion gently takes the hard drive and puts it in her purse.)_

" _What does this contain again?"_

" _A story."_

" _Hold up… a story?"_

" _I'm not kidding. You know that I'm not one for fabrication."_

" _Okay… I trust you on this one. Thanks, though. I really like it here! I should come over here someday."_

" _See? I knew you would like it here."_

" _See you soon, dude."_

" _Same to you."_

 _(The female walks out of the abandoned site, the wearer of the glasses still sitting on the office chair. The following monologue remains clear, without any omission or voice static present.)_

" _Phew… Things are really beginning to change. If they want me to share this stuff, then…"_

" _EUREKA! I know a way!"_

" _Alright, calm down. What you're doing is for the sake of this goddamned world. You're going to mess up a lot of brains, but it's going to be worth it one day. Who knows? I could get a medal of recognition for this!"_

" _Let's just play it easy. Yeah, just take it easy, Arcturus. We've got a lot of stuff to do."_

 _ **END OF TRANSMISSION.**_


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Desperate Measures**

As school returns in my place, I begin to fear.

No, I am not worried about competition. I am worried about not reaching the 1-month deadline I solely implemented.

(I wrote this after ending my first day of school. Oh my God, what have I done? XD)

Also, you may be thinking about why there are only about 6000 words in every chapter.

Let me tell you that it's just for the first half. The second half goes WAY downhill.

There will be a couple of chapters for the 7th, because too many things happen in a way where even I won't be able to absorb it all in my head. The fact that I am running out of ways to fill in the stuff from the corrupted files is even more worrying.

I am basically jam-packed. So, if I did post this update in a late manner, then I am sorry. At least I was able to inform you through this. Believe me, I want this story to end, but I am not lazy enough to simply leave it hanging or without satisfying your indescribable hype.

So, did the previous chapter shock you?

I did land some bombs that probably made you scream in surprise or disgust, like the fact that Kagura is… well… you get the idea.

When I reviewed the files about Alice surviving those blows, even I was taken aback. I mean, sure, she IS the Apocalypse Queen, but what she endured really proved her point.

Then again, our heroes retaliated against her with the so-called 'radioactive incense'. Strangely, Alucard's fiery powers mixed with Eudora's lightning. Add that with the holy effect of Estes' wards, and you get a deadly concoction that nearly killed Alice.

But let me let you in on something. It's true that not even mere magic, like Eudora's or even Gord's, could make the wounds on Alice last. It was luck that Estes was able to contribute just in time. The fact that the Moonlight Codex is not existent anymore (but rather, in the Genesys Gem, serving as the substitute for the other Moonlight Shards), is also astounding.

Alucard's powers are forcing the demonization process to occur once more. Let's see if you can guess what fate will have in store for him.

Last but not least, the 'Story Glitch'.

You should have some sort of theory about what the glitch is or what it conveys, no matter how many plot holes remain uncovered. Remember, everything written here is written for a reason. I wouldn't write something not worth your while from the files.

Expect the rare 10,000-20,000 word count when I post the chapters for the 7th day.

I mean it. I don't care how long I write it, as long as the content is fresh and best-served.

Are you ready to delve once more, dear reader?

Amongst the Angelic Plains, Uranus has drifted around the place, assessing the situation below. He shook his head with frustration.

"Pointless… It's pointless staying here! I can't just sit by and-"

The guardian catches the familiar flapping of wings. He looks across him as an angel lands next to him, clad in gold-bronze armor with an eagle for a helmet. Wait, scratch that. It wasn't his helmet, it was his actual head. Claws adorned the armor's hands and feet, resembling a bird of prey's. The eyes illuminated with blue energy, humming softly. On the figure's right hip was a whip that crackled with lightning sparks.

"Sorry to intrude, my friend," the figure greeted, its pair of fluffy wings folding to his back. "Quite the issue you're having."

"In the nick of time, eh, Kaja? I could no longer stand with the Lords. I have tried to convince them so many times, but they ordered me to stay here. If I disobeyed them or bring anyone else along for it, I'd be excommunicated."

Kaja sighed, leaning on an adjacent pillar. "By the way, if you're asking about the state of the Celestial Palace that you wished to repair, my men have it under control. The operations are faster and more effective than expected."

"I don't mind that place for now. If only I was there helping the heroes!"

"That, I too wish. That's why I didn't consult the Lords in the first place. I know you'll be angry about me doing this, but I spoke to L-"

Uranus' mechanical head turned to Kaja, his eyes glaring. "WHY DID YOU DO IT? I told you-"

"Uranus, please, hear me out just this once."

The guardian exhaled nervously. "Kaja, my comrade, I'm not angry about what you did. I am concerned. You know the state that she is in! She may pick no side, but her duality is being torn apart. The balance is no longer present inside her. She will break if-"

"She is still conscious in both sides," Kaja interrupted. "I understand. I have considered doing this multiple times, and she has given me a task, something worthwhile. I cannot help them directly, but I will surely give them a bit of insight, as requested by our Enlightened One. You may come as well, but we must act quick if we are to remain unnoticed by the Lords."

Uranus thought deeply. He first thought of the awful consequences, but that was overcome by the thought of service.

"Fine then, I'll go. Let me compose myself."

"No matter how many times my men oppose my beliefs, I know that the old guardian within you is somewhere in there. Thank you, Uranus."

"You owe me," the guardian said, pointing at Kaja.

"Of course. I always do."

Meanwhile…

The heroes are growing worried.

Sure, they haven't received any form of breach or assault in the second night, but that is the problem. It confirmed their theories that something big was going to happen sooner or later. Everyone was still unsure, though. They're living and breathing on the edge of their seats.

But that was about to change.

In the dawn of the third day, the people's tension was about to burst, until…

"Estes! Estes!" Zhao calls out, squirming inside the ranks to catch the king's attention. The Striders and Bastions gave way.

"Something wrong, Zhao?"

"Um, uh… wait, let me-"

"Take a knee, and calm yourself. What's the matter?"

Yun breathed, "We have visitors, Uranus and… um… There's this dude that resembles Argus and such, I just can't remember the name… He introduced himself as the 'Nazar King', but I-"

Estes' eyes widened. "Kaja?"

"Yes! That's the name! Why-"

"Zhao, keep guard with the watch. I'll inform the others regarding the visit. Maintain the rotations and fortify the defenses. With me absent here, the demons will most surely attack."

"Sir, yes sir."

Estes moved out of the army, being replaced by Zhao. He walks through the lines and back into the citadel (a long walk, though), seeing Uranus and Kaja chatting along with Argus, who remained motionless as he guarded the Genesys Gem. The Gem in itself has its shards nearly stuck together. They were centimeters close, but the time isn't enough to form cohesion between them. Small sparks of lightning circulated on the spaces between.

"What brings you here?" Estes asked.

"Estes, we personally requested for your presence. It's a shame that we can't participate, because doing so will put the two of us in perpetual exile," Kaja replies. "However, we have information concerning the upcoming days. We also have another urgent matter to discuss…"

"The Enlightened One," Uranus added with worry. "She… she is torn. Kaja felt it, and I'm beginning to as well."

"We'll settle this in the underground chamber." Estes says. "Argus, your watch rotation is done. Go help the others. Judging from the attacks, the most probable attack today is in the shores."

"50-50 ratio?"

"Make them go 40-60. The constant pressure on both sides will hinder us, and more will pour on the frontlines. I'll let you know if there will be changes."

Argus nods and marches out of the halls and out in the back. Meanwhile, the remaining three leaves the Royal Guard into guarding the artifact, sealing the underground chamber.

The fallen angel walks out and sees the army pour out into the beach in haste, their armors and weapons banging and clanging. The same formation was made, but was optimized and adjusted for fighting in the sand.

"Growing cold," Lapu-Lapu muttered to Argus. "Not a good sign."

"A storm?" Franco asked. His skin began to tingle not from the moisture… but from the stubborn lack of heat.

"Not a storm of rain," Argus concludes. "There's no moisture in the air." He saw a snowflake float down from the corner of his eye. And then, a couple of snowflakes fell as well. The army slightly shivered, but their adaptability made them withstand the sudden cold. The clouds have covered the whole kingdom, but the snow wasn't severe.

"Is Aurora doing this?" Bane asked.

Aurora appeared from behind, maintaining her poise. "I'm not the one to blame for this. I could have halted this event long before, but Gaius itself has altered, defying simple logic. As a guardian of nature, I have no control over this. This not the doing of demons… this is nature itself."

Out of the waves burst forth a small wave of land sharks crawling and speeding their way on the white sands. The Sharpshooters picked them off easily. A few hit the Bastions, but were no match. Argus holds the heroes on standby, waiting for something odd to come out.

And something odd did come out.

One by one, the Kastiyans begun emerging, using their hybridized weapons against the formation. The Bastions' aura slowly degraded due to the effects.

Meanwhile… in the underground chamber…

"When was the last time you made contact with her?" Estes asked, wary of the Ocular Sun's observations. The demons were pouring out evenly on both sides. The appearance of the Kastiyans have made the situation a lot worse than it should.

"Eons have elapsed," Kaja responded. "I was desperate for answers. There is no better consultant."

"And yet, no worse, Kaja," the Elven King backfires. "I know that we must resort to desperate measures, but you didn't have to talk to her."

"If he didn't, then we would've known a lot less about what was really going on," Uranus defended. "The Enlightened One's sides are split. We're evening the odds, but she's having a hard time balancing her aspects." The bronze being's energy glowed with worry. "She's growing weary, Estes. If we don't switch it up, you know what happens. It's even worse than letting An-"

"Don't speak of the Dark Lord's name," Estes warns. "Only she can. It was of luck that we have vanquished his physical form, but the malevolent force resides. Kaja, is there anything she specifically told you?"

The winged ruler paced around the table. "I can fully remember what she told me, 'Light will be vanquished by darkness, and darkness will be vanquished by light. Only through the point of no return where our fates will be sealed. Through this will all be null and whole, resting in the nothingness, in the void remains of the stars.' She said that when she was in full control. I'm having doubts regarding her own sanity."

"But it's true, anyway," Estes sighed. "The only way to finish this is if we end it all, and it's not just the Land of Dawn, nor Gaius…"

Uranus glanced up. "Our dimension?"

"What she meant was… we're the last line of defense. The citizens back here aren't the only ones in danger. It's the other realms as well. We're not the end game… it's the ones from the other side."

 _ **ALERT! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!**_

 _(The following audio log doesn't suffer from any electronic static, but any mention of the identities of the speakers that can be heard are forcibly omitted. Further investigation confirms the use of certain pen names or codenames to mask the true identities of the people._

 _The audio log has no date in its records.)_

" _Let's just take a break after this match, alright?"_

" _Sure, whatever floats your boat."_

 _(Silence is heard for the next two minutes.)_

" _Woah, woah, woah, dude, they're going for the Lord."_

" _Oh, crap. Goddamnit, Johnson is still not respawning! Go faster!"_

" _C'mon, Argus, use your claw!"_

" _Okay- EVERYBODY'S HERE!"_

" _TARGET LESLEY FIR- SHE TOOK AWAY YOUR HEALTH USE YOUR ULTI NOW!"_

" _I need the support, mate, I need it!"_

" _Gonna ulti with Yi, stay tight!"_

 _(The phrase 'An ally has slain Lord!' resounded.)_

" _YES! YES! OH WAIT DUDE! GET THEM NOW, THEY HAVE LOW HP!"_

" _Crap, my immortality's off! Never mind, I'm getting Lancelo-"_

" _YOU GOT THAT BI- WAIT AKAI IS STILL-"_

 _(The announcement 'Savage!' caused an uproar.)_

" _YOOOOOOOOOO SIT DOWN YOU PLEBIANS!"_

" _Don't celebrate too ear-"_

" _THEY CONCEDED! YES!"_

" _OH MY GOD YES GURL! HIGH FIVE!"_

" _WOOOOOOOOO! Bajeezuz, that was awesome."_

" _Yeah, but we still have a long way to go before reaching Legend."_

" _Yeah, unfortunately."_

" _Hey, um…"_

" _What, ********?"_

" _It was really fun playing with you. I should've paired up in matches with you when I had the chance."_

" _No worries. I'm glad to have a bit less toxicity in the system."_

 _(Silence went on for a few seconds.)_

" _Hey, um… I think you personally know me by now."_

" _That you're my male friend with feminine personality? I don't mind, ********."_

" _W-wait, you don't?"_

" _Of course not! Why would I? And besides, you're a really good friend. I may not be on to the LGBT stuff and all, but you're a good exception. We need more gals like you, woman!"_

" _Oh, so now you're sounding feminine!"_

" _C'mon. Y'know I'm doing this to cheer you up! I'll promise you this. You're awesome, and lit. If anyone tells you otherwise, inform me and I'll make my flaming fists of fury and their doomed groins have a bit of a conversation, yeah?"_

 _(The two laugh it out for a while.)_

" _Oh wait, I heard from ******** that you're making this story."_

" _Dude, you don't know how late you are. A quarter of the world is tuning on what I have to offer!"_

" _WHAT? YOU'RE THAT RENOWNED?!"_

" _And to make things better, the reviews are being littered with so many good responses! Sure, there's the occasional trolls and hate feeders, but I roast them like sizzling baby back ribs on Friday!"_

" _Sounds like you've got a lot to work on."_

" _I just updated a few days ago. I reckoned I'd take a break. Being a writer is tiring."_

" _But you didn't, um, make it yourself."_

" _That's the catch. I assume she told you?"_

" _********, we don't know where that came from. We do know the ******** sent the ******** for you to decipher, but the true origin is uncertain! Where did this insane idea sprout from? She couldn't access the ******** within the databank because you personally locked it down with five administrator codes. Five! Is this as serious as it gets?"_

" _Do you want to know the truth?"_

" _I don't, but everyone damn sure deserves to, A**t***s. I am your honest friend, but I need to be frank with you on this."_

" _I know the consequences. Heck, revealing it will most likely cause World War 3. I planned on showing it in the end. I've done the math. No matter how sugar-coated my explanations are, things won't be pretty."_

" _Do you know the end of the story?"_

" _Yes. However, only those who stick long enough are permitted to read it."_

 _ **END OF TRANSMISSION.**_

The army didn't budge, but the demons and Kastiyans were unrelenting in their constant, vicious charge. The land sharks that were spawning were growing larger by the lapsing time.

Bane shot a projectile from his crab claw, surprisingly knocking back the land sharks charging to his squad. Some of his fellow pirates have went down to the ground to assist. "Where's Castor when I need him? Castor!"

Castor responded, "Juicing up the mates, captain! Gonna get crowded!" He used his sword to slice through the land sharks with ease. His friends were rushing out the back to heal the wounded with Bane's uniquely brewed rum. Castor handed a bottle to Bane.

"Thanks." The pirate chugged it in seconds, gargled, and let the drink loose from his mouth, which became a lethal concoction of acid. The Kastiyans that were hit slowly melted into a heaping mess, their dying clicks and shrieks being their only remnant.

"We're gonna need more help if things go wrong. The others are on standby to rest! The storm is growing stronger!" Yi Sun Shin announced. "Aurora, can you use the Gem to amplify your powers?"

Aurora, who recently sent an icy ball of doom to the arising Kastiyans, nodded at the general, speeding towards the citadel.

(Yes, she can fly. She can use the moisture in the air to- Whatever.)

A loud gurgle resounded in the shores as Zhask arose, sopping wet, but is standing on top of an oversized Dominator, proceeding to blast the Bastions out of the way for clearance. Vexana, who was beside him, just let the dead soldiers arise, forcing them to fight for the dark side.

"We need that back-up! Two of them are here!" Lapu-Lapu called, splitting his greatsword into two blades. He charged in and jumped on a land shark, attempting to push Zhask out of the huge Dominator.

"Did you miss me?" Zhask taunts as he points at Lapu-Lapu with his new staff. The warrior easily blocks it with his blades and slices Zhask's body, which simply regenerated in a near-instantaneous manner. It did, fortunately, knock him off and fall into the shores.

"Lapu, don't come any closer!" Yi warned, shooting an overcharged bow to Vexana. The witch deflected the projectile, but she miscalculated, forcing the arrow through the Dominator's body. Franco had high hopes that the spawn would die, but no.

It simply regenerated, but the process was slower. The pet seemed to be staggered as it regenerated.

"The spawn cannot attack while it is regenerating. Keep it bombarded at all times!" Argus calls out. The growing snowstorm began to ease, letting the army breathe easily without the crashing cold winds.

"Where is Estes, traitor?!" Vexana demanded, blasting a Strider out of the way. "I've come to-"

Argus, being stubborn, slashed her mouth off to check if she had the same regenerative prowess.

She did.

"How disrespectful of you!" she muttered as she sent forth a ghostly grip to Argus, which he cut through with his blade. His swift attacks proceeded to get blocked by Vexana's shields, letting out no opening for a good attack.

Franco caught a Kastiyan with his hook. Seeking to improvise, he swung it around, the chain knocking off the land sharks and Kastiyans for secure kills. He then threw it to Vexana, which caught her off guard.

The fallen angel caught the opening and slid below, cutting her heels. Yelping in pain, Vexana desperately moved, but her feet wouldn't let her. She gets kicked down into the ground. Argus straightforwardly attempts to stab her, but her mystic hands held it back for mere inches.

"I know you, Vexana. You were tricked into wrongdoing! This… this madness, this isn't the answer! Why can't you see?!"

"Don't you dare let out a breath about me!" Vexana blasted Argus into the sky, the fallen angel regaining control with his wings. Zhask saw Argus and points the Dominator towards him, but Bane and his pirates stabbed the pet multiple times, forcing it to be locked down. Argus charged to the ground once again to make contact with Vexana. The mage shoots multiple grips which Argus simply cut down. They were put in the same situation again as Argus attempts to convince her.

"The Dark Lord used you for leverage… He didn't want to help you… he used you, took away your serenity! I know how it felt! You don't-"

"SHUT UP!" Vexana forced him out again, her form beginning to change. A dark aura began to loom over her as she charged at Argus, which is very unlikely of her. A feral expression masked her face, causing huge fear to the surrounding units, even the land sharks and Kastiyans. Her eyes were coated with black. "NO ONE KNOWS! NOT A SINGLE ONE KNOWS! He was… he was kind to me! He's better than my husband, who knew nothing but his own welfare!"

"That's not you, Vexana. Someone else is talking to me. I can still feel your old self there!" Argus says to her, blocking her claws. He sees the Sharpshooters attempting to attack her, but he holds them off. "NO! LET ME HANDLE THIS!"

"Ironic, traitor! YOU'RE JUST LIKE ALL THE REST, TAINTED WITH GREED!" She shrieked in despair as she got ahold of Argus' neck. She pins him to the sands, trying to choke him. As soon as she found out it didn't work, she proceeded to hack down his body. Argus struggled to get up, feeling the shockingly heavy force pinning him down. A blue arrow pierced Vexana's forehead as Miya helped Argus recover. The fallen angel forced himself on top, trying to grip her head.

"You've forgotten who you are."

Argus attempts to connect with Vexana's mind through his telepathy, and gets sent off to her memories…

Meanwhile…

"No. Way."

"I wouldn't be making this up," Hayabusa added. "I also thought it would be better if Kagura and I shared this information, just in case-"

"JUST IN CASE WHAT?!" Chou exclaimed. "Dude, your girl is in a delicate sitch right now. Why on earth haven't you thought of the-"

"They knew the consequences, Chou," Alpha defended. "It was unfortunate that, even after all that they could do, whatever ensuring method, it still stuck."

"But it's still like, a couple of days old?" Lolita asked. "It wouldn't do much harm, but if she lost the thing, we're totally screwed. Wait, where is she?"

"She rests in my bed, she's alright."

"I can barely process it, oh Lord," Alucard grumbled.

"Okay, okay, hold up just a minute!" Akai said, cutting off the conversation. "You," pointing at Hayabusa, "did it with her without protection. Simple as that." He then looks at Alucard. "And you, who is the dude destined for the prophecy, can barely internalize this?!"

"Well, any announcement concerning pregnancy is surely traumatizing." Ruby whacked Bruno due to his comment.

"Have you discussed this with Rafaela? She could help!"

"She cannot do anything. She heals, not destroys. However…"

"She can slow down the process?" Layla hypothesized. "She can do that, right?"

"She can't do that. She… her powers are intrusive, but not into that extent. She cannot slow it down… She can only do one unique thing to us, and you're not gonna like it."

"What?" Alpha asked.

"Rafaela has the ability to manipulate the curse inside us."

Fanny's eyes widened. "Wait, I thought she eradicated the-"

"She can't. The curse is woven by fate. She can only render it ineffective and effective."

"Hayabusa, don't tell me the two of you are willing to sacrifice yourselves by bringing back your curse!" Zhao pleads. "You're my best bro. I won't let you do that. I've lost Moskov already."

"I won't turn to the dark, Yun. The two of us will be fine. What matters is the artifact. And besides, Alucard is here to finish the job."

"Well, I don't know how to, but I'll manage," the Demon Hunter shrugged. "But seriously, Kagura is preg-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know!"

Back to the shores…

" _Hey, honey, how was it?"_

" _My subjects are coping up with the new routines. Sorry if I wasn't able to spend time with you today. You see, I have a lot of things to cover this week. I don't know if our son would-"_

" _Relax, of course he would understand. He knows how difficult it is for you to take care of the whole kingdom. One day, he'll take your place, and he would encourage you to be with us! It's alright."_

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"

Vexana held Argus' wrists and tried to pull his hands out from her temples to break the telepathy. "STOP IT! I SAID, STOP!"

"Vexana, your real self is still in there. Fight back!"

Argus shouted in pain as the Kastiyans began to fire at him. His aura grew to protect himself, his wings covering his body. A dagger pierces an alien's chest. Gossen breaks through the lines as he dashes around, launching his ceremonial blades. He throws them at random locations, often missing the Kastiyans and land sharks, which caught Zhask's attention.

"Provide cover for Argus!" Lesley orders, rapidly flicking the hammer of her sniper rifle in order to land her shots. They were all headshots. Zhask's alien blasts its laser to Lesley's position, but she simply jumps off to another area, shooting down the spawn's eye, rendering it blind. The alien shrieked in pain as it flailed Zhask around.

"Stay still, you pest!" Karrie grunts as she kicks down a land shark. She throws her spinning blades to Zhask, but the Kastiyan was able to create a force field just in time. "A little help!"

" _Why didn't you attend the three previous meetings? The kingdom is in a state of urgency! You know the backlash you'd receive!"_

" _My love, let me-"_

" _Your love? I know what you've been doing, you sod! You've been visiting someone else! Alice, was it?!"_

" _Look, it's not-"_

" _How it looks like?! IT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU DENY THE FACTS, I KNOW THE TRUTH!"_

"Vexana, don't struggle with this! You need to remember!"

"DON'T TELL ME HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO FEEL!" the Necromancer screamed as she flings Argus to the shores like a tin can, sending him skidding on the sands. The land sharks and arising Kastiyans attempt to pull Argus down, but the Sharpshooters were keen enough to see the tactic.

Before Argus could even rise, Vexana slams her foot down to his chest. She proceeded to claw him out, Argus' sword being his only protection. Yi Sun Shin went straight to the Necromancer, slashing through her with his glaive.

"Argus, need help!" the general shouts. Argus immediately gets up and divebombs Vexana deep into the sand. He stabs her with his sword, hoping to pin her down for good, but her own body simply phased out, letting her get a perfect retaliation. Before Vexana could do the same, Freya went sky high and bashed her away with her shield.

"You need to stop!"

"Freya, Freya, admit what you feel for that waste of space!" Vexana howled, releasing multiple grips surrounding Freya. "You feel for him, don't you?! Say it!"

"I'd rather let you shut up!" Freya cried out, expelling the ward, making her vulnerable for Vexana's attack. As the mage charged, Argus pushed the Valkyrie out of the way and took the blow, Vexana's arm piercing through his chest. Annoyed, he cut the arm off of her, providing time. Miya let loose a tripwire arrow, causing the dazed Vexana to stumble, along with the Kastiyans. Zhask switched his focus from attacking the army to defending Vexana. He spawned multiple pets, pushing Argus out.

"Don't waste your time, Argus! I won't let you get to-"

He was interrupted by Lapu's sudden kick to his face. Because of this, the Dominators were in a state of dormancy.

Argus rushed in to the Necromancer and reached out to her mind one last time…

" _How many more? Tell me!"_

" _One more… before what is given to you is fulfilled. There's no turning back from this, Your Highness."_

" _My husband… he deserves punishment for what he's done… to me and my son! He left us alone…"_

" _He will atone by your hand. And by the time the process is complete, your old self will be stripped away, giving you new physique with a fitting name…_

 _My harbinger of fear… Vexana. Are you ready?"_

" _Yes… my love."_

" _Good."_

"No…"

"YES!" Vexana, gaining the upper hand, pushed Argus far into the waters. She dove like a bullet, gripping his neck and plummeted down to the surface.

"WAIT! SHE'S SUBDUING HIM!" Franco warns.

"I'm going! Hold the others off, Yi!" Freya volunteers as she dove to race against Vexana.

Bane tried to stop her. "No, Freya, don't!"

" _Sir, the cleanup operation is nearly done," an angel reports._

" _Tell the other squads who have finished to return to the heavens. Our job is almost over," Argus commands. He and two other officers were collecting battle spoils from the war. The aftermath led them to fix the battlefield._

" _Argus, look."_

 _The angel looks to where his second-in-command points. He sees a large, single-edged longsword with a silver blade, coated with gray energy._

" _The weapon looks neutral, but powerful. What shall we do?"_

 _Argus ponders over the situation. "We'll confiscate the item and bring it to the Lords for further analysis. Meanwhile, we maintain discretion. We haven't witnessed such a sword before. The energy could be felt, even from here."_

" _I have an awful feeling about this, sir. Aren't you concerned that this could be a trap?"_

" _I know. That's why we have to inspect it." The three walked over the landscape littered with demon carcasses. They were able to get close to the sword._

" _It doesn't seem to be hostile," Argus concludes. He lays a hand on the handle. "Let me-"_

 _And then…_

" _TOO LATE!" a voice said, resounding in his head._

" _Sir, are you all right? Sir? SIR!"_

" _I may have lost the war, but I will have gained a new ally… a worthy adversary against these puny mortals!"_

" _The two of you… help! I can't…"_

 _The two fellow officers struggled to keep Argus' hands off the grips, but it was useless. The seraphim struggled to fight both the conscience in his head and his sudden urge to wield the blade._

" _You thought you could outplay me, Argus… but you're mistaken. You will be my servant, so give in to power!"_

" _YOU WON'T! YOU… WON'T TURN ME… INTO ONE OF YOUR PETS!"_

 _Argus yelled in rage as his transformation begun, the whole area rendering barren and dry due to the aura. Through the passing seconds, his memory began to wipe itself off, and the two officers beside him slowly disintegrated to ash. His wings, fully extended, slowly shed and grew black feathers. His helmet cast off its winged horns and changed it into a devil's. His whole armor swapped, his eagle-faced shoulderguard turned into a skull. The sword shed its camouflage, turning into a green weapon of uncontrollable power and temptation._

" _YOU WON'T!"_

 _A few angels descended in the vicinity, wielding their traditional battle armor._

" _You! Identify yourself!" the chief officer instructed. "Who are-"_

 _Argus looked at the squadron, wielding his new weapon. The eye slits on his helmet seethed with green fire._

" _It's Argus! What on-"_

 _Without warning, Argus blazed through and slashed the chief officer in half, ignoring the enhanced armor he was wearing. The angel's soul was absorbed by the blade, and Argus felt the sudden rush of newly acquired strength._

" _No… Argus defected!"_

 _He looked at his own reflection through the sheen of the blade…_

" _Power… I need more…" He looked at the wary soldiers, his very brethren._

" _I NEED MORE!"_

"STOP!" Argus commands as he shakes himself off the memory. He was now submerged 50 meters below, Freya swimming down to him whilst being followed by land sharks.

"How did you resist?!"

"I accepted my sins, though they were not mine to begin with. Cackle all you want, but I've changed!" Argus slashed through the water, causing an insane wave that pushes Vexana to the deep abyss of the ocean. The said force wave generated an ongoing tsunami above the surface which was estimated to wipe the beach only.

Argus looked behind him, noticing that Freya was about to run out of breath. He shot himself up and caught Freya with his free arm, slicing through the submerged land sharks and Kastiyans. A huge ice boulder (casted by Aurora) suddenly sank, causing the duo to arise quicker than anticipated. By the time they arrived, the beach was a sopping mess.

"Are you alright, Freya?"

"Alright? You should ask yourself that! Why are you that foolish to get to her alone?!"

"Um, I hate to interrupt…" Gossen said. "Look at the waters…"

The heroes, along with the army, regrouped, witnessing a drastic change with the beach. The water slowly turned black like oil, and it spread across the overlooking ocean. Franco knelt down and picked up a gasping fish from the beach that died quickly.

"The water…"

"It's corrupted," Aurora gasped, also noticing the lack of snowfall. "We can last without the ocean, and it's most likely that we won't fight here again… But the ships!" She pointed to the naval ships of Yi Sun Shin, which began to corrode due to the water.

"A shame," Bane said. "Argus, this is not your fault. At least we tried to convert Vexana… but she's gone. We can't change her now."

Yet, the aftermath was in favor of the Dark Lord's.


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Source of the Poison**

If you would be one of those who have kept track of my poems/monologues in the MLBB channels of YouTube…

Welcome. XDXDXD

It seems that you've willingly gone this far either because I made this, or the story was actually good for you. Either way, you helped me obtain 10,000 views on this story, so… THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND SAME GOES TO THE OLD READERS OF THIS STORY! :')

Now, I will clarify this: This chapter won't be of great length. This is because this serves as an add-on or a filler for the upcoming chapters, more like… supportive narration.

But pay attention, because it will hint a couple of things, including the Story Glitch, the prophecy, and the meaning of the chapter name.

Hmm… "Source of the Poison"… have you any speculations, my friends? I'll leave it all to you!

Anyway, I am having a bit of an… undesired burnout. Wanna know why?

Gaming, Schools, Monologues, Poems… So, if I did update the story in such a late manner, I'm sorry for those who are really impatient.

(I also noticed only one person *ehem* thelittletaco *ehem* is making the reviews in a certain span of time as of writing… Nothing wrong about it, though.)

Again, before we start, I will have to address the 'newcomers' here.

Now that you've witnessed my very first FanFiction (with an absurd amount of 135K words as of writing), you may be left with a couple of questions.

" _Arc, why is Alucard the main character? Isn't Argus your favorite?"_

Alucard is and always will be my favorite. It's just that the meta is so unforgiving to those who are weak to crowd control, and Argus is part of the short end of the stick.

" _Arc, how in God's name did you get so much time to do what you do?"_

I make most of my time! Hence, my undesired burnout.

" _ARC! WHY AREN'T YOU RECOGNIZED BY MOONTON?! YOU DESERVE ALL THE PRAISE!"_

Maybe because Moonton is so focused on profit and personal welfare and preference to the point where their service to the community is as bad as most cash-grabs in the gaming industry?

" _HEY! YOU COPIED FROM HECTORIUS ALKA-"_

Sigh. Here we go again…

BOI. My work is 100% original. I BARELY even keep track of Hectorius Alkaline's stories. Not only do I want to get rid of the temptation of plagiarism, but I also want to boost my self-confidence in writing. Sure, leaving a comment in Hectorius' works will most definitely catch the attention of the community…

But here's the thing. I just can't watch his videos, but I can give him the support I can give. Written works in the MLBB franchise are being overshadowed by cringy memes and lackluster, effortless fan service. (Not that Hectorius' works are such. I mean, look at those views.)

Last, but not least, the shipping and the categorization of both the protagonists and antagonists mostly contradicts my own. Also, Hectorius has been adding up all of the new heroes, which I think is a flaw. Look at my story. I set a specific range for everyone. It's just coincidence that the newly released heroes have insane potential for this story of mine.

But I ask you, should I catch Hectorius' attention? I would appreciate it if you answered, whether you agree or disagree.

" _COPY PASTE SML NUB IT AIN'T GONNA GET PINNED BY HORORO YOU SCRUB"_

For all of the haters, who are mindlessly spreading innate toxicity and expressing their jealousy, which forces me to wear a hazmat suit whenever I operate in the comment sections…

breathes

Stop it. Get some help.

Let's get back to the story, ladies and gentlemen!

"The Reservoir?"

"A hidden source of the evil, the Reservoir is the spawn point of all of the demons. It's where they're bred or pulled out from different worlds. We can get to it through a makeshift portal, but the corruption would get to you in minutes without protection."

"Um, Estes?" Lancelot asked. "Why call me and Odette for… this?"

"The two of you, along with a couple of my best spies and scouts, will attempt to sabotage and render it inactive. If you successfully do it, then it will change the tide of battle here, ensuring our victory as long as everything plays out," the Elven King explains to the couple. "Don't worry, Argus will be there to escort you. The three of you will be the distraction whilst the men do all the heavy lifting for it."

"We will be safe, right?" Odette worriedly asks. "I mean…"

"Everything will be alright, Odette," Estes calmly assures. "With Argus' aura along with my spells, you will be rendered immune to the corruption, even if you stray far away from each other. Again, I cannot ensure that you'll make it out alive, but if you do, best that you rest as you arrive. Your mission will begin on the 6th day. Outside information has confirmed that a massive assault will occur at that point in time, so all the attention will be diverted here instead of the Reservoir."

"Estes, have you discussed about the assault on the 6th to the others?" Hylos questioned. "We need them prepared."

"I haven't yet, my friend. The Royal Guard is going to-"

The underground chamber opened and the heroes rushed in, clamoring, with a couple of questions.

Okay, guys. I'll try to… um… _write down_ what they asked.

Because they have A LOT of questions.

"ESTES WHY DID KAJA AND URANUS VISIT HERE?!"

"WHAT WILL WE DO NOW THAT THE OCEANS ARE GONE?!"

"WHO-"

"Settle down, everyone! Raise hands to ask!"

Yi Sun Shin raised his arm. "Sir, the oceans have turned pitch black. Our ships are still operational, though no naval warfare will be imposed, this is a bad sign for our supplies."

"Yi, we have enough water sources to last the kingdom for two months when it stops flowing. I assure you, utilizing your ships in the ground will be handy. If desired, you may take to the skies with Bane." Most sighed with relief.

Rafaela was next. "Estes, why did Kaja and Uranus come here unexpectedly?"

"They discussed mostly confidential matters to me, and disclosing them to you may lead to their exile from the heavens." This sparked an outrage, not because Estes wanted to share the info, but because of the Lords' threats.

"Wait, that's so NOT cool!" Bruno criticized. "Why do they always have to mess things up?!"

"Though, I can disclose about the Reservoir, the 6th day and the Enlightened One. Which one first?"

Everyone settled for the first former. All eyes and ears were peeled…

"As I have said to Lancelot and Odette, the Reservoir is the focal point of the enemy. I've planned the whole night about the upcoming sabotage operation. It seems that the successful execution will guarantee our victory, but going there, even with a makeshift portal that I'd conjure, would prove to be suicide itself. I have prepared my spells for them to keep safe, along with the scouts. Argus will escort them-"

"ESTES, DON'T!" Cyclops squeaked in a panic. "DON'T!"

Miya's eyebrows scrunched. "Why-"

"The prophecy! My hourglass warned me! My-"

"Calm down! Cyclops, what did the hourglass show you?"

Cyclops struggled to let loose his words. "Um… L-Lance a-and Odette… th-they're g-going to die! D-Don't l-let them go, even w-with Argus!"

The couple had no hint of any negative reaction plastered on their faces, however. (As hinted many times, they're ready to die. But that can change…)

"Cyclops," Miya asked. "If this is true, is there a possibility where they get out alive?"

The mage slowly raised his finger.

Gossen reacted. "One? Are you sure?"

"I know. It may all seem fuzzy in my head, but I know of one. I just… can't remember!"

"Don't pressure yourself, kid," Minotaur warns. "It is hard for you to contain such a burden. Ease yourself. Estes, what's the other topic?"

"On the 6th day, it's confirmed that a wide-scale assault will initiate. Though, the Dark Lord himself will be absent at that point, his greatest asset won't be." Estes swiped his hand on the Ocular Sun hologram and inputting a name on it.

"Leviathan, the corruption's cavalry." Estes showed the image to the others, and a collective gasp ensued. "An airborne monstrosity with thick skin and thicker armor. It was present back in the Old War. As I can remember, the Seraphim were easily able to take it down by going within the organ systems to destroy its heart, but the difficulty won't be the same this time."

Bruno examined the creature in awe. He saw the charts and thought of it to be at least 4 times bigger than Grock, sporting an very long wingspan for its bat-like gliders. An irregularly shaped carapace coats its hide. Its six eyes glowed with seething ferocity and its wide mouth is ready to snap with its serrated jaws. Two pairs of ivory tusks sprang from its cheeks, which can move as well. It may have no legs, but that isn't the issue.

"Um… this thing can't pass the barrier, right?"

"It can break the barrier," Rafaela added. "If we keep it out, it will just harm the Genesys Gem. We will have to fire everything we've got at this abomination if we want to live for the 7th. Argus won't be present, but Estes can conjure a portal within the Leviathan itself, if possible. If not, we have to find a way to escort him there ourselves. He's the only one left who can kill it."

"Okay, okay, hold up!" Chou interrupted. "So, we all know that this huge mass of dung is about to hit us. Aurora, can you slow it down?"

"I will overexert myself just to make it stop for one second," the Queen explained. "I can make the air more difficult for it to maneuver around, but it will tire me. I would have to stay with the Gem if I were to do something worthwhile."

"We're gonna need my men in there," Victor volunteered. "We know about that thing. It has a fragile heart. If make it rupture, it dies. The question is how to get there."

"It will be safe to breathe within the Leviathan," Hylos adds. "It doesn't inhale oxygen, it exhales it. Its whole body can let a small group of people inhabit it, as long as nothing goes wrong. The corruption is rendered inert even if you rupture the heart, so there are no worries in terms of surviving there."

"But what if we don't push it back, or slay it?" Sun asked. "I don't think our boy Grock would be able to handle it. Sure, the Leviathan is one heck of a slowpoke, but even so, the titan cannot just split its armor and find a chink. And besides, look at that mouth! It can rip off Grock's arm clean off the shoulder."

"It depends on the situation on the ground as well," Estes exhales. "Any one of us is viable enough to enter the Leviathan, but I am the requirement. I have to go there. Uranus and Kaja cannot help us as of now, but they will try to find a way. Argus, Lancelot and Odette wouldn't be here when the time comes."

"So that's why you planned to send them off to the Reservoir on the 6th!" Ruby exclaimed. "The chances of them being spotted would be miniscule."

"Good thinking," Hayabusa compliments. "So, I think we will have to focus on what's at the bottom before we put our attention to the Leviathan. When the coast is clear, one of us, any of us, needs to go and assist Estes and the Demon Hunters into slaying the beast."

Alucard volunteers. "I'll go-"

"Alucard, you can't," Argus shuts. "It's the Leviathan. Sure, the corruption isn't going to affect you or boost the demonization process, but it will immediately strengthen your urge to kill it! Not even your powers can put it down, unless you're that willing to give it your all. The temptation will work its way inside your head, and not even your friends would stop your undesired rampage. Same goes with Roger and I. You need to stay on the ground."

"Rest assured, we'd need to keep you off the battlefield until the break of dawn on the 6th," Saber reminded. "You'll have to stay on the ground like the others, but if you're being focused on, retreat. The army will be able to fend themselves. Don't engage without our signal."

"Bane's men can give you support, Estes," says Franco. "They may not be the cream of the crop, but a few shells on its eyes can stop it."

"I'll consider all of the possibilities, do not fear. I have a part of the plan already made," the Elven King answers.

"So, it's all settled?" Kagura asked.

Before they could breathe easily, Karrie asked, "Wait, Estes! Who is this… 'Enlightened One?'"

Everyone was looking at each other, but even Argus and Rafaela would have difficulty comprehending. They all stood in silence, waiting for Estes' answer.

"Whatever I say, let it be the new truth. Has any single one of you heard the name 'Lunox?'"

"Estes, are you sure?" Argus asked with worry. "Is she-"

"Wait, who is this 'Lunox' character?" Miya asked. "Estes, who is she?"

"In the time of the Old War, conflicts were unending. The people were so desperate for a semblance of hope and peace from the light," Hylos narrated. "And one day, Light and Darkness ignored even the simplest of logic and reality as it began to merge within a host… A surrogate freely chosen by the spirits as the herald and caretaker of such power. Lunox was an ordinary elf… In fact, she should've been like that when she was born, but she was the chosen host. Not even the Lords of Order, nor the Dark Lord, know why she was picked out of everyone else. All that matters is that she is."

"So… what happened next?" Alpha interrogates.

"Her parents wanted to give her a normal life, despite her conditions. She may have the undeniable duality of her personality, but she was in total control of everything happening to her. She didn't age, nor wither. She is basically an immortal deity born from the flesh," Argus continued. "She wanted the quiescence she solely deserved… Until one night, a war raged within their homeland, and, as undesirable as it seems, Lunox' parents were caught in the crossfire and got hit point blank. And from that moment on…"

"Her powers grew tremendously as she wallowed in her pain, and as the dust settled, not a survivor was in sight. No one was safe," said Rafaela. "Either side saw what she did and didn't want her as an ally. One day, the ancient spirits have already coroneted her to be the Goddess of Twilight. Her status as a primordial deity and as a symbol of balance and justice for all of the fallen has spread. When the scales of justice were handed to her, the fate of the world is within her grasp, and thank the heavens, she didn't abuse what was given to her."

It took a minute for everyone to process what was narrated.

Natalia was the first to respond. "Uh… what?"

"It is hard to believe, but she is the one who decided that the Light will win against the corruption. So, if we put it this way, she made us win the whole fight."

"All because of a choice?" Saber questioned. "This… Lunox… if she is that powerful, who knows what else she can do! What if-"

"I know your speculations, Saber, but no, she isn't here with us anymore," Hylos intervenes. "Not in the flesh, that is. She joined the cause of the Light and aided the whole army, whether it be directly or indirectly. The Dark Lord possesses the same level of knowledge about her as ours, but isn't willing to disclose such information. To keep it short, Lunox was the goddess that wove our fate. Without her, we wouldn't be here."

"Wait, if this is so, then why won't she do the same like last time?" Layla asks. "Don't get me wrong, but… Hylos, you said she wasn't in the flesh. What do you mean?"

"After the war, Lunox vowed not to interfere directly. She also knew that if she stayed in the Land of Dawn walking on the ground like everyone else, her duality will split. If so, the effect would be cataclysmic. She has to maintain her duality, or else, the world falls into ethereal ruin. The Light will be extinguished, and the Darkness expelled," Estes answers. "Because of this, she sealed herself within a sacred singularity designed to seal her powers and herself, which we call the Twilight Orb. No one knew what it really was until it reached Minotaur's region. When its function was renowned, it was too late. Lunox' physical form dissipated within it, but not her power. For safekeeping, it was put in the heart of the infamous Labyrinth whose underground caverns can snake throughout Gaius itself."

"It's where they found me," Minotaur added. "However, the Twilight Orb is no longer within the heart of the Labyrinth. Estes and the Royal Guard secured its essence within the Moonlight Codex. It was a tedious process-"

"Wait, how was Kaja able to talk to Lunox if she's not here?" Karina questioned. "Her spirit still resides, right?"

"That is true, Karina. She's all around us, watching us quietly, acting as the balance. Kaja may have communicated to her through certain apparatuses that can be foreign even to me. We were able to draw the Twilight Orb's energy out of the original container and into a pocket dimension conjured using the Moonlight Codex. Little did we know, it was also the cohesive agent needed for the Genesys Gem."

"Guys?" Zhao said. "Let me just summarize this. Lunox' spirit is around, and her energy is in the Twilight Orb. So, Estes took it out and put it within the Moonlight Codex for safekeeping. And now that we put the said Codex with the other Dawn Shards… Boom! Mind. Blown."

A few chuckles resounded. "If that's the case, then Lunox is somewhat inside the Gem?" Balmond assumes.

"Yes, partially, and Alucard will have to coalesce with the Gem on the 7th," Eudora points out.

"Her duality is torn," Gord reminds. "So, she's unstable. If the Dark Lord takes over, it's a loss-loss sitch for everyone on either side. Okay, even I can barely understand the math behind this. She just defies logic!"

"She doesn't defy logic, Gord," Argus corrects. "She _is_ defiance itself. Everyone who knows her is afraid of her. She wasn't even mentioned in the prophecy! Who knows what happens when Alucard merges with the Gem. He'll be the next manifestation of her, so to speak. We don't know her motive as of now, but she is as she is. She is breaking inside and out, as if she is suffering from schizophrenic attacks. All goes down along with her."

"So… we would have to defend the Gem by any means necessary," Alucard interjects. "She needs me there, because I am just like her, a living paradox. That's why I'm the chosen one of the prophecy, not everyone else… And yet, like you said to us, Estes, we're not the endgame. We aren't the cure. We're just the resistance."

 ** _ALERT! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!_**

 _(The following audio log was illegally recorded by an eavesdropping employee from [DATA EXPUNGED].)_

" _Please understand, sir! I know that this may not seem right, but this has to be-"_

" _Christ on the goddamn cross, Zachary! You know how valuable those files are! You will have to-"_

" _Sir! We will have to show the world the truth about it! If we just conceal their real stories with bland, false, half-baked stories and lore, it won't do them justice! The hard drive wouldn't be in where I found it without some-"_

" _Have you even listened to the [DATA REDACTED] news?! Look!"_

 _(The television set was turned on, showing a discussion between a CNN reporter and an interviewee, who was an analyst.)_

"-is just insane, Neil. This story is making such a huge controversy out of all of the gamers and players in the world! It has changed the mindsets of both the young and old! It has twisted governments! How do we even cope up to things like these?"

"You see, Mr. Kowalski, the problem is not the story, nor the motive of this… 'Arcturus420'. The issue is how people perceive the story, this 'masterpiece', as they call it. Personally, I have read it, which doesn't seem like much of a 'Neil deGrasse' thing to do, but it has been shedding light not only to the exemplar narrative capability that someone could offer for a game, but also to the social problems we are facing. These morals, these lessons, it has caught the public eye, and people are more than willing to fix the problems within their own countries and states."

"True! I mean, global crime has been reduced by 29% these last few months, and the Reddit forums are going wild over this simple FanFiction! Worst of all, search parties, both legal and illegal, are conducted to find 'Arcturus420'! Yet, not even hackers nor the greatest of detectives and analysts can find him, whoever he is."

 _(The television set is forcibly turned off.)_

" _NOW YOU KNOW, ZACK! This kid is about to start the Third World War because of his sharing of such information!"_

" _Ugh, Salazar, you just don't get it! It has been drawing attention to our game! We're earning a lot more, and our employees are also fixing their mindsets! The meta changes were abrupt, but they fixed the game! What more can we ask for?"_

" _WE CAN ASK FOR A LOT MORE CONFLICT! Fires are raging around because of some narrow-minded child!"_

" _Don't you call him that. Take back what you said!"_

" _What did you say to me?!"_

" _You heard me right, old man! TAKE BACK WHAT YOU [DATA REDACTED] SAID! Arcturus420 is a kid! He's just a kid! He didn't want this in the first place, you know that! Heck, all of this unintended fame is crushing him! Everybody is searching for him, and he is suffering from this. He's growing out of touch with society while the others are rejoicing from what he's been doing for them and for us! SHOULDN'T WE BE HELPING HIM INSTEAD OF JUST SITTING ON OUR OFFICE CHAIRS LIKE CROOKS, JUDGING HIS ACTIONS?!"_

" _IT WILL COST THE WHOLE FRANCHISE, OUR HARD WORK! Are you out of your mind, Zack?!"_

" _Maybe I am! I don't know, but this has to be done! He's drawn in the whole world, Salazar! If he stops whatever he does, we might be done for! He has to finish what he started!"_

" _I swear, I am going to-"_

" _WHAT?! Fire me? FINE! DO IT IF YOU WANT TO! Just remember, we wouldn't be here if I didn't find that hard drive from that garbage bin!"_

 _(The employee drops the recording device, which catches the attention of the two officers.)_

" _Who goes there? Jesus [DATA REDACTED, someone's listeni-"_

 ** _END OF TRANSMISSION._**

"It's just so hard to take in," Alpha began. "Wait, that came out wrong."

As a miniature outpour of demons were initiated on the frontlines, the cyborg and a few others decided to converse.

"Estes wouldn't be saying this if it wasn't true, though," Bruno replies. "First, the Reservoir, a portal or something, where the demons come from. They also breed there, helping their population increase. Who knows how wide that underground cavern will be. It could be bigger than Keva Infernus."

"The second is the Leviathan. How in the world can we even slow it down?" Johnson asked. "Don't get me wrong, all of your suggestions back there are as solid as steel, but would it work? By the way, that mass of trash is nearly 1,000 tons heavy. If we do put it down, the catastrophe on the ground will be devastating. We won't be able to regain footing after that! Saber and I speculated that at that point is when Alice and the others will come and take the advantage. We're going to need the Nazar and Uranus if we are to keep steady."

"C'mon, we shouldn't worry much. Estes' plan would be around 90% finished after his listening in on our advice, we'll be fine," Alucard comforts. "But Lunox is really egging me on."

"Her fear factor on us is about to overpower that of the Dark Lord's," Harley points out. "Light and Darkness at the same time? I don't need to be a magician to know how volatile the reaction would be. It would be exponentially stronger than that of Hayabusa and Kagura's curse… But for it to maintain polarity, fluidity, control… It makes no sense. It must be the cause of her old body fading into nothingness. The host couldn't take that insane power. It's so strong that it can actually intimidate the edgelord. I don't think the Dark Lord would not think twice about taking it all for himself."

"And remember, anything that intimidates the edgelord is a big deal," Miya adds. "I have heard of multiple deities, but not Lunox. I may have gained my power from the Moon God years before, but hers may most definitely be outmatched. But… if she's that known…"

"Why is she not remembered by anyone?" Zhao said, finishing the archer's question. "We faced the same thing to Argus… I guess we were so afraid of power to the point where we discard our memories of it. Look at Argus. We forgot about him until a few weeks ago. Just imagine Lunox! She volunteered to cast herself out just for our sake. And remember, her essence is in that Gem. Kaja may have talked to her through prayer, ritual or meditation. Either way… Alucard, if her power goes to you, I…"

"Don't finish that," the Demon Hunter halts. "I… could barely think about it. Look, I've seen demons shamelessly butcher people to bone. I've seen Ruby go insane. I've seen the most human and the most inhuman things ever to go in the Land of Dawn for one whole month, and yet… A simple thought is enough to put us on the edge. We should-"

"Alucard!" Tigreal called out. "Where's Zhao?"

The warrior stood up, alert. "Tig, what's wrong? Casualties?"

"Helcurt and Moskov are in the vicinity. Don't bring your friends here. You'll need a handful few in this fight. If you can convince-"

"I know what to do, Tigreal. Thanks for the heads-up. Guys, keep calm and stay here."

Miya stood. "Let me go with-"

"Don't, Miya. Helcurt is the real threat on the ground. I can't bring Hayabusa along as well. I'll need to keep close with some of the others. The Shadowbringer may be exploiting our fears and emotional weaknesses. We can't just give in."

"I'll go," Karina says. "I can beckon Estes to come. Gatotkaca, Nana, and a few, but don't get too cocky, Yun. I'm going to have a hard time keeping you alive for Miya."

"Ouch, Karina. Still salty? Anyway, let's just go."

Zhao and the knight ran to the main walls, climbing up to get a better view. Lesley was on watch with the other Sharpshooters, Harley alongside her.

"Gossen's doing good out there," Harley noted out, watching his rebellious friend cast his daggers around, slicing the demons' bodies cleanly. Lesley shot down the ones he was unaware of, keeping him safe. Roger was also in the field, but even in close quarters, he maintained his human form, waiting patiently for a moment to strike without warning.

"Helcurt and Moskov are right there," Freya said, pointing at the two miniscule dots. The Shadowbringer was pacing on all fours, Moskov behind him. "Are you sure Moskov is planning to betray the Dark Lord?"

"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst," Zhao muttered.

"Don't think this would be easy for you, Yun. That's your friend on the fray. Think ahead of yourself so we won't take an unwanted loss. The others are off the field so that you can intervene," the Valkyrie warns. "He'd be willing to talk to you."

"He's never said a thing ever since we got up close with him," Tigreal points out. "He isn't called the 'Spear of Quiescence' for nothing."

"I have to try," Zhao interrupts. "What could go wrong?"

" _What could go wrong?"_

" _I don't know, Zhao. I'm having a bit of doubt about what I can do. I mean, throwing spears with good aim? I've beaten even the older soldiers."_

" _You'll be fine, Skov. Trust me. After all, I'm taking all the shots for you, you hear me? If you need anything, just ask."_

Zhao mentally shook his head. _"Focus, dude, focus. No point reminiscing."_

Meanwhile…

Alucard decided to walk around the streets. They were empty, unless you count the guards. Strips of newspaper and plastic are scattered around the place. Estes isn't keen on cleaning them, as they aren't even considered a minor cleanliness issue.

"Lunox getting to me? Heck, she really sounds scary…"

Alucard shook his head and continued with his pace. He lifted up his head after looking down the ground, deep in thought. Out of the corner of his eye did he see a girl walk to a corner.

"What… Who's out there?" the Demon Hunter called out, but there was no response. Curious, he jogged towards the corner and looked. No one was there. What's even worse was that the alley led to a dead end. Alucard shrugged, but as soon as he turned around, he saw the girl again, a few meters away from him. Alucard jumped in shock and immediately grabbed his greatsword, but as soon as he did, the girl immediately dissipated to black dust.

"What in the name… am I hallucinating?"

Almost instantaneously, a soft voice whispered in his head, as if the speaker was talking directly at his ear. _"No… this is… I am."_

Alucard, nervous, turned to look behind him and saw nothing. "W-What do y-you want? Tell me."

" _Don't you see it? All I want… is a fitting epilogue for this war I've caused… I set the hearth aflame, but you set it ablaze!"_

Hyperventilating, Alucard planned to sprint, but was halted by Hylos.

"AH! Oh, good Lords above, don't scare me like that, Hylos!"

"Alucard, what is it that you saw?" the centaur asked, stern. "You look like someone who has seen a ghost."

"Maybe because I've seen one… This… I've seen this girl," Alucard elaborated, breathing heavily. "She's blond, with short, slightly wavy hair, but one lock of it was black… and… her clothes… I wasn't able to examine quickly, but I know one side of it is black whilst the other white…"

Hylos' eyes widened. "Did you know that Lunox shows up in a form of specter or apparition?"

"Really?"

"However, only a few hold the eye to see her. The Fall was among them. Like Estes said, Lunox is everywhere. If you saw her, then it means that the Fall's blessing was imparted upon you. We've only gained knowledge of her, and now she displays herself to you. That's a significant event, so far. A shame that she had to leave for the time being…"

"Would I keep seeing her, Hylos? I mean… I could barely take in all of this…"

"It's your brain chemistry. Your two sides are being tested, like hers, which is why you're undergoing moderate mental stress. We can't let you out on the battlefield today, Alucard. It's best to stay with your friends. After all, we're counting on you. I don't want to lose the war because of your recklessness."

Meanwhile…

"Okay, where are you, little buddy?"

Zhao, as usual, was sprinting around the battlefield, trying to find Moskov. The warzone isn't having much of a frenzy. He paid barely any attention to the demons trying to catch up to him, because they couldn't. It was just a brisk walk for the fighter.

But trying to find his former best friend is like searching for a needle in a haystack for him…

"Did you see him?" Gatot asked. "He is teleporting around in short distances. You'd need to latch onto him with force. I'll keep an eye." The guardian immediately soared into the air and pointed at his right, his finger trailing to Moskov's location, then, jumped toward a mass of demons, sending them soaring.

Zhao instinctively followed Gatot's direction, doubt slowly taking over him…

"Don't worry too much," someone said.

"Didn't know you'd be here, Hilda."

"Well, everything needs a replacement. Good thing my tribe is here to keep the pace. Gossen is back within the city's walls. We'll have to-"

She was interrupted by a black spear, missing her shoulder by mere inches.

"He's here!" Zhao sensed the next spear coming towards him and blocked it with the handle of his own spear, launching it towards a different direction. In the corner of his eye, he sees Moskov dashing, attempting to dodge the deflected spear that he threw. Yun flipped and spun his spear around and came into contact with Moskov's, and the force blew them back, their feet digging into the ground.

"Hilda, go! Keep watch for Helcurt!" Zhao ordered. Hilda nods as she charges towards Moskov. The marksman teleported behind her to throw his spear, but Zhao reacted quick enough, attempting to yank it from Moskov, but it was as if he held it like a vice. Moskov looked behind him and simply threw the spear in the air, bringing Zhao with it. The fighter let go and landed on both feet, aiming the spear.

"Hey there, bro. It's nice seeing you again," he greeted. "I didn't want things to come to this, Moskov. I know what you did for Natalia and the others, but the Dark Lord doesn't. You still have a chance to-"

Before he could finish, his vision immediately blackened. "Oh, for the love of-"

He sensed the incoming spears, and with luck, blocked them one by one. Zhao desperately spins his spear to cover different parts of his body like a shield. After a while, he caught Helcurt's voice.

" _You b-b-brought words to a w-war… Foolish!"_ Before the Shadowbringer could strike, Zhao's vision returned and whacked Helcurt with the butt of his spear, launching him into the air. Landing dazed, Helcurt snarls as he changes his focus. Moskov was nowhere in sight.

"Zhao, are you hurt?" Estes asked, multiple runes floating around him as he levitated in the air.

"I'm fine. I need Helcurt off my back so I can negotiate with Moskov without hassle!"

"We'll do that. Right now, he's somewhere else. I'll help you get to him." Estes conjures a portal in front of Zhao, and Zhao jumps forth, going into another area of the battlefield. He sees Moskov impaling half a dozen Striders and one of Karina's Night Elves without error.

"Moskov, listen to me. You don't have to do this!" Zhao exclaimed. Moskov stopped in his tracks and grimaced. He immediately threw the spear in his hands and Zhao simply slid below it like a game of limbo. As he stood up, he struck with quick blows, intent on wearing down Moskov or disarming him. As Moskov blocked every one of his attacks, Zhao had to think of another strategy. He forgot one thing…

The two of them sparred every day in the past, and it all ended with them on a stalemate.

As he was too busy on his offense, he didn't see Moskov's free fist come at his face, and he received the blow, and it was more painful than he thought it would be. Moskov dashed back as he watched Zhao recuperate.

Zhao grinned as he wiped the trickle of blood on the corner of his mouth. "Still the same friend I once knew… I'm the talkative one here, as always." He squinted his eyes to get a better view, and sees the corners of Moskov's mouth curl slowly, but uncurl quickly. It didn't seem like much, but he knew.

"Now we're talking, old friend." Zhao ran at breakneck speed, a simple move that he knew Moskov would simply counter. But instead of charging towards him, Zhao changed course and ran fast, baiting Moskov. Confused, the marksman dashed with the same speed, but wasn't intent on catching up with Yun. He threw his spears around, seeking to try and hinder his movement. At the same time, he impaled every enemy he could see as Zhao did the same, nicking and pricking demons before they could land killing blows.

" _If I let him run, he'll just kill more…"_

Zhao had an idea.

"What's the matter, slowpoke? THINK FIVE STEPS AHEAD OF ME IF YOU WANT TO CATCH ME!" Yun shouted at Moskov. Noticing the taunt, Moskov became more aggressive with his shots, but his alertness wasn't dwindled. It's what Zhao hoped for, for him to be the focus. If anything, he has to lessen the casualties.

He eyes Gatot ramming his gauntlets on a Wretch. "Hey, Gatot! Need some fists!"

Gatot slightly nodded and acted like he didn't pay attention. As Moskov came into view, he immediately jumped at the marksman, seeking to land his punch. Unfortunately, Moskov teleported just in time and shot back at Gatot, but the attack was easily deflected. Yet, Moskov was successful in diverting Gatot's attention. The guardian finds himself facing a Wretch, which he easily pummels to the ground.

" _C'mon, 'Skov, c'mon… I know you…"_

He looks behind him and sees Moskov stop in his tracks. He eyes his opponent's arm charging some sort of swirling energy.

" _Oh, no…"_

Moskov releases his Spear of Destruction, carving the ground it touches. Zhao raised his arms up, startled, but Estes jumps in conjures a portal just in time. The huge spear appears from another portal the Elven King made, shredding through the Ravagers and Wretches around. After a while, the spear dissipated to thin air, leaving numerous casualties to the Dark Lord's horde.

Estes snaps his fingers and locks Moskov in a stasis ward, preventing him from dashing. The marksman threw his spears in frustration, which the ward didn't seem to block. Irithel and Leo sped around and shot explosive arrows in the concentrated field, intent on stunning Moskov to the ground. Estes releases Moskov from the ward as Leo pounced, but he dashed immediately. Seeking freedom, he teleported forward, but got hit by Roger's blunt blunderbuss shell straight to the face.

"WAIT, DON'T HURT HIM!" Zhao shouts. As he raced, he finds Moskov regaining his footing immediately, the lethal wound on his face immediately healing back to normalcy.

"Oh, come on! Why must every single one of them be immune to blunt force trauma?!"

Zhao dived through with his spear to hit Moskov, and Estes made the spearman appear on top of his opponent, sticking his spear into Moskov's shoulder. Yet, he didn't yelp in pain, much less groan. Zhao recalled the spear back to him, and the flesh wound healed slower than usual.

"Sorry, man. Had to do it to you. A shame I'll have to do it again."

Roger, in Wolf Form, slashed the dazed Moskov on the torso. Estes could tell that Moskov feels the pain he was receiving even though he was recovering quickly. It was as if he has low pain tolerance…

"Roger! Ease yourself. He cannot withstand much pain." Roger nods in response as he reverted back to his human form, shooting blunderbuss shells at Moskov. Estes eyes a few members of the Demon Hunter clan, readying their improvised net launchers. Moskov unknowingly dashed in the right spot, allowing Victor and Yinsen to hit Moskov with ease, and now, the antagonist was tangled up in the net. Having doubts, Estes increased the gravity around Moskov, forcing him downwards.

"Okay, Estes, that's enough. I'll take it from here. Watch my back." Yun walks up to Moskov cautiously, who was struggling to even raise his head.

"Hey, 'Skov, I know it's you. You don't need to fight us. I don't want you to get hurt. You don't have to live under the Dark Lord's shadow. I know what he did to convince you. It wasn't righteous. I know the world isn't fair, but it's not a proper reason to be where you're-"

Zhao heard a yelp, and sees Helcurt sting Estes on the shoulder, immediately unlocking the ward and stabilizing the gravity. In a flash, Moskov dashed and proceeded to shoot down Roger, who retreated for the meantime. Losing interest in the hunter, Moskov decided to impale Estes to a nearby rock, but having already healed, Estes casts a shield around himself and the black spear shattered on impact, letting off a force gale that nearly made the marksman trip. Zhao then ran towards Moskov, but Helcurt went up behind him and blinded him. The Shadowbringer latched on Zhao's back and pulled his arms back to prevent him from moving. Yun was now on his knees, Estes unable to see, and the two Demon Hunters unconscious for the time being.

"NO! No… not yet…"

" _No more playing, M-M-Moskov… kill him! He's a hindrance to your real fate!"_

"No! Moskov, listen to me! I know you're still my friend on the inside, just lis- AAAAAAGGHHHH!"

Zhao screamed in pain as Helcurt's stingers hit his spine one by one.

" _With every word coming out from your lips is another taste of one of my concoctions! D-D-Don't make this harder on y-y-yourself…"_

Zhao, despite being numb, could determine that Moskov was readying his spear…

" _Hey, Zhao?"_

" _Yeah?"_

" _Y'know, I don't want to spar against you. You're my bro!"_

" _I know, 'Skov, but we have to do this. If we don't, we won't know how to defend ourselves…"_

" _But-"_

" _Hmm… how about this? Whatever you do, don't hit me on the legs."_

" _What? Why?"_

" _First, I won't truly move without them. No one can. Second, it's an indication you're not my friend anymore."_

" _Really?"_

" _Nah, I'm just kidding. But when the time comes… Just… try and remember it, okay?"_

Moskov readied his throwing arm and launched his spear. Zhao closed his eyes as he accepted his fate…

PSYCHE!

What, you thought our beloved never-fading hero would die that easily?

Zhao was astounded that the spear grazed off of his shoulder and hit Helcurt on the chest. The Shadowbringer howled in pain and confusion. Helcurt easily clawed it out of him.

" _WHY THERE?! I-I-I-INSOLENT… FOOLISH BASTARD!"_ Helcurt looked around to see Moskov, but he was already gone from the scene. He looked at Zhao with disgust.

" _You're lucky… But the Dark Lord wishes to send his regards on the following hours!"_ Helcurt flees, his dark aura dissipating. Zhao was now able to see. He checked his wound, which wasn't really serious…

"Yun! Thank heavens, you're safe and sound," Estes breathed in relief. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm… fine…" Zhao witnesses the demons retreating, snarling back at the army. There were a lot more casualties on either side now…

Tigreal and Hayabusa come up at them. The warrior asked, "Zhao, did you talk to Moskov?"

"He's not willing to utter a letter, much less a word, but that's who he is, anyway…"

Hayabusa eyes the deep graze on Zhao's shoulder. "You need to get-"

"I know, Haya. Moskov nicked me."

Victor helped Yinsen up as they recovered from the tranquilizer. "You're lucky he missed, kid."

"Moskov never misses," Zhao contradicts.

Estes' eyebrows scrunched. "What do you mean?"

"If he did want to kill me, he'd aim for my legs."

 ** _ALERT! INCOMING TRAAA#o3u*KQQ 3kfhkn)977895728-=1—10_**

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" _WAAAIIIT!*T( SN LIHd WEOD NEEED XIjoYHHEEELELEPEUOE ELOICC e,2KL kovmd/w]"_

" _E)HOEVCEr ICLJL LISTENI11#L PLEEEEEE*(D 3333 R3s9*cuikhls cU!odpv flwkvw! He'''''sihc02c42 COMIis1oskxncfr90902?!"?!"D"_

" _LNEEE FO YIGD LKAJIOCEL 008(89251 :MC:j?NXKJjh IOHYCEY LK!JLD!"_

" _T0BK ALXUO OF TH3 PDOU IOS OF E RT!HSHD"_

" _Sao3vl3r vemna aeivnt ;aljvkrrerrrr klico32 a,.80946"_

" _H1ddra S84gotryia klkjvdnabh ho01cpwe AND HE WILL LEAD US TO WHAT IS GOOD FOR THIS W0002lfrlwD1,saav"_

" _NKLE FOLL0W TH# LIVHrT ANO!UC D UTW LAILLL SHO! THE TRUTH!"_

" _F_! THR#P0 L_SDDTTTTTKAHK"_

" _F_

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" _Testament… her name, the last of her kind, borne from thought, realized by divine steel, and she… I give unto you._

 _I bring not peace, but a sword, and you, my harbinger, impose such intervention from the cosmos to the forsaken ground…_

 _I trust that you will fulfill my wish… my Testament._

 _Show them the truth."_

 ** _END OF TRANSMISSION._**


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: The Mark of Gladness**

Argh, these goddamn delays…

Oh, hey guys! I hope you did well back in the la-

Wait a second… What in the name of-

Okay, okay, hold up! Don't tell me that two transmissions came up back there! Hmph, fine. Nothing I can do about it. And yes, the 4th wasn't really filled to the brim with action.

I mean, c'mon, I may be writing long chapters, but I'm not the best for shedding light in these stories…

Anyway, I hope that I'll make things up with this chapter. After all, it's the 5th day now.

Things… are about to get… um, nasty. Really nasty.

(And no, not that kind of perverted nasty that you're thinking about. When I say nasty, it's really bad… But only one death will be written here. You should be delighted.)

Now, are you ready, dear reader?

Wait a minute! Hold up just a minute!

Have you experienced this moment when your imagination goes hyperactive and you just imagine whatever stuff is in your vision?

For me, it's different. I ALWAYS ZONE OUT.

It happens when I recall something worth or listen to an appropriate song. And suddenly, I lock in place and I imagine some really awesome and deep things.

For example, I am standing on the glass panels of an airport, awaiting departure, when suddenly, I began to think of an epic fight scene that includes our renowned heroes and villains, crashing through the planes and vehicles, massive explosions, the whole kazoo!

Or when I overthink in bed, I see a couple consoling each other as they try and mend their feelings for each other. (Which I hope doesn't end up into one unexpected Rated M intercourse scene that I will have to omit whenever I write… *cough*)

It's basically how I think up of scenes in my story. That wholesome Hayagura scene? It took me days to perfectly cook it up as I lay on my bed. Alucard's awakening of his powers? I had to listen to a rock song, look out the window of a moving car and close my eyes just to fully visualize it.

It's just nuts, though. I often end up losing focus or attention, which often leads to bad stuff. Don't try it at home unless you're alone or you have nothing to do. But I recommend you try. It's a unique brainstorming method.

Anyway…

"Lolita, take a break."

Chou switch positions with Lolita, who has been spending a few hours at night fending off some stray demons. The outpour of demons at night have increased, which led the army to worry and grow tired. Estes has clocked routinely check-ups of their second tier of defenses, because he knew that all five of the Dark Lord's henchmen would come out anytime on the 5th day.

"You sure you got this, Chou?"

"Hey, you're the one who needs sleep. Seems like that hammer of yours is growing a wee bit too heavy. We'll call the others for replacements. C'mon, you've been here for a long while."

Lolita nods with a sigh, and retreats back into the town. She eyes a few of the residents growing weary due to worrying, the sound of ballistics filling the dark atmosphere. A prominent, but calm wind swayed her hair to one side as she went inside her designated residential home.

She knocked on the door (but with barely any effort). "Hey, anyone there?"

The door opened and she was greeted by Bruno's cheeky grin. "Yo, who- Oh, hey sis! Damn, you look sleepy." He reached for Lolita's hammer and let it rest on the frame of the door, escorting the elf inside. Lolita sees Layla rest on one couch, a thin blanket wrapping her.

"Oh, if you're wondering, Layla is knocked out cold. Don't bother waking her up."

"I just can't get myself to sleep, Bruno… My mind is egging me on."

"Yo, if it's about what's gonna happen in the next couple of hours, then don't mind. All of us are pressured. We just need to hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

"Why aren't you out? Shouldn't be-"

"I had to keep watch over Layla. Alucard is with Ruby who took the routine with Roger until midnight. Same goes with Hayabusa to Zhao and Akai. Yi and his buddies are on the walls right now, replacing Clint's men."

A siren's noise suddenly grew as a fire truck raced into the streets.

"A fire?" Lolita asks.

"Yeah, unfortunately. A few demons are now sneaking in, but they won't be able to get close enough to hurt us a lot. Yet, the Land of Dawn is breathing through a straw from all this."

The door suddenly bursts open as Alucard and Clint poured in.

"Guys?" Clint began. "Estes needs us in an hour. Something big is cooking up!"

"Leviathan?" Lolita asks.

"Nah, we fight that thing tomorrow, remember? It's just that the good old fu- I mean… five are going to go tackle us head on. Best we try and push them off when they do."

"Good gracious, you don't know how good their synergy is," Bruno grumbles. "Anyone can charge in and will still be left without a scratch. There are only a few weapons that can make them hurt!"

"Actually, Estes has put up some runes on some of our weapons. It may not do much, but it will slow down their regeneration," Alucard assures.

Bruno eyes out the growth on Alucard's arm, which has now grown to reach the base of his neck.

"Alucard, did you use your powers again?"

"I couldn't help it. A few hundred troops were pinned by enhanced Wretches. Argus and Estes couldn't intervene at that time..."

"Ugh, we're really going to use ourselves as freaking human shields to just keep you alive, huh?" the gunslinger joked. "Anyway, where's Layla?"

Bruno pointed to the couch Layla was sleeping on. "She's out cold. Don't wake her up."

"Sure thing, just had to make sure. I'll be going now while Alucard stays here. Adios!" In a rush, Clint closed the door behind him, but didn't slam it, fortunately. Alucard leaned on the wall.

"How's the others holding up?" Lolita asked. "No injuries?"

"Zhao's wounds were healed in a jiffy. Usually, the wounds would last. Moskov was acting back there," the Demon Hunter replied. "Still, we really can't trust Moskov. The others are taking a break. As I've heard, Rafaela will now be with the Gem when we clash. Argus and I will be on hold. Everyone else joins the fray."

"Moskov was the one that betrayed his clan, right?" Bruno asked him. "Or am I wrong?"

"Well, the others wouldn't say he betrayed them. As I can recall, he was forced. He had to save his own life. He wanted revenge, but I know he is sane enough to consider avoid going with the Abyss..."

Bruno nodded, but was in doubt. "There are still more we can ask help from, right? Other than Lunox, Uranus and Kaja?"

"They're either non-existent or dead, Bruno," Alucard answers. "You still know about the legend of Pharsa, right?"

"Oh, you mean that woman who failed to kill Alice by her lonesome? The one that got blinded and has a bird for eyes?"

"But she was close to killing Alice, right?" Lolita adds. "I mean, it was just bad luck that Alice got ahold of Verri during the fight… That's kinda awful. Pharsa would be a really good ally to have right now. Hayabusa and Kagura's clans are gone, too. They were two of the first to be targeted. Gord's apprentice, Valir, died because he sacrificed himself to protect Gord… Claude, Clint's cousin, is also dead after an encounter with Helcurt… But without his journals, we wouldn't find the Twilight Orb. And Harith, he's missing in action. Most likely dead, an end of a one-man marathon. Too late picking them up from the off-worlds… Just us and them."

"A lot of wasted potential right there," Alucard sighs. "I still can't consider Lunox as an ally, and she's been egging me on ever since we knew about her. She keeps appearing in my peripheral vision, often distracting me."

"She wouldn't do that," Bruno said. "I mean, sure, she'll walk around like a ghost, but she doesn't really intend on driving you nuts, Alu. She might be trying to tell you something."

"I wish-"

The door burst open.

"Alucard!"

"Yinsen!" Alucard says, surprised. "Something wrong?"

"Ruby… s-she's having another episode."

"Crap." Alucard immediately stands up. "Bruno, don't follow me. Stay and watch over Layla and Lolita. This will take a while."

"Alright, be careful! And please, don't kill her!"

Alucard closes the door forcefully and races with his friend, scoffing. "Where is she?"

"She's in one of the storage depots. I can't remember which one. All I know is that Cyclops and Natalia have already responded. She was struggling to maintain her composure, but she just can't hold it in that long. I don't know how bad it is right now."

Alucard spots Johnson driving through the street, escorting one of Franco's men, whose leg was torn clean off the knee joint. (Don't worry, it's healed. Just imagine if it wasn't and it was spewing a lot of- Oh wait, sorry. Let's go back to the subject. XD)

"Hey, need a ride? I'mma have to drop off this dude on my back to the med bays!" the cyborg greets.

"Storage depots, Johnson. Ruby's gone insane again," Yinsen replies. "Fastest route?"

"Oh, lucky you, I was about to go there too! Hop in."

Alucard took the shotgun seat while Yinsen took the back with the wounded soldier, who was growing sleepy.

"How urgent do you need to go there, Alucard?" Johnson asks. "The wounded can last here long enough for-"

"No, let him go first. Just try and be careful along the way."

Johnson slowly accelerated, hoping to optimize his travel. Alucard and Yinsen eyes the Land of Dawn, a bleak sunrise beginning on the corrupted peaks around them. Yet, its glare didn't approach, though there was barely any cover.

"The sun is in full view now, even though it's just sunrise," Alucard pointed out. "However-"

"There's no sunlight striking us," Yinsen continued. "Yeah, the others noticed it too. This is a rare occurrence. We can blame the corruption for it, but if it points out anything, something bad is going to happen today. A bad premonition. I don't assume it's concerning Ruby, though. You're gonna bring her back, I assure you."

"Yeah… I hope."

"Hey, have confidence. You don't want Victor chasing you pants-less to yell at you to man up."

The Demon Hunter smirked. "Good one…"

Johnson arrived in the med bays. Luckily, it was only half full, a few wounded going in and out of the place. Yinsen sees a truck go past them, letting off a horrid stench.

"It goes to bury the dead, Yinsen. That's the 58th departure for four straight days, and that's not counting the deceased on the walls of the Land of Dawn. Approximately 89% of the army is still intact, but Saber doubts that even 1% would make it through the 6th."

Suddenly, a shadow appears beside the car door, and Hayabusa emerged from it. He was no longer wearing his traditional uniform. He wore a mechanical suit, with dark orange highlights. Denim-colored padded fabric wrapped around his body, and a pouch of kunai rested on the side of his right leg. The only thing that hasn't changed is his katana, however, the scabbard was to match the outfit. His spiky, swept blond hair didn't move with the wind. In a flash, he opened the car door, teleported to make the wounded soldier sit on the wheelchair, and got back to Johnson, sitting next to Yinsen.

"How's the suit, Haya? Saber thought you'd need a bit of an upgrade," Johnson began as he drove again.

"Even Kagura approves," Hayabusa replies. "Oh, hi guys. I heard that Ruby is going mental again. I'll go. I'm done helping in the med bays anyway."

"Saber made you a new suit?" Alucard asked. "That's actually sick, dude."

"Yeah, well, we thought of giving it to everybody whom we can provide, so yeah," the cyborg says.

Hayabusa added, "Not only that, there's also something strange happening. As the 7th day closes in, we're changing in multiple aspects. My new suit is an exception, sure, but some of us have different looks and all. Zhao, Freya and Miya are also feeling it too, a slow, yet prominent flow of energy growing around us."

"I've been feeling funny, too," Alucard admits. "What could've caused this?"

"Estes speculates that Lunox has something to do with this," Yinsen answers. "Rafaela and Argus feels it too, most especially Argus. The Blade of Despair is reacting differently. Usually, when it senses power, it leeches it, but now, it's responding as if it wants to change."

"Argus' sword was neutral, right?" Hayabusa asked. "So, if there is a dark side, then there should be a light side, too! But that's kind of overthinking… Anyway, Johnson, are we close?"

"Almost- LOOK OUT!"

Johnson frantically veers to the side and screeches to a halt, nearly crashing to a nearby dumpster. Alucard, Yinsen and Hayabusa walk out as Johnson transforms back to his normal form. Johnson looks for the lobbed object, which was a metal crate filled with fruits. It survived the fall with only a large dent on the edge.

"That came from Storage 11," he speculates. "Wait, did you hear that?"

Hayabusa's eyebrows scrunched, but that was before he heard a bloodcurdling cry.

"That's her." Hayabusa dashes with his shadows, leaving Alucard and Yinsen to run. The two Demon Hunters ran behind Johnson, who was already raising his shield.

" _Ruby… What's happening to you? I didn't think you'd be like this…"_

As they came next to the open garage door (which is massive, I tell you), Hayabusa held up his arm, stopping them.

"Haya, why are you stopping?!" Yinsen complains, growing agitated. "We need to-"

Hayabusa hugs the wall with his back as a barrel from inside the depot breaks into splinters, nearly cutting the ninja like cheese.

"Oh… Kay. Things are going awful," Alucard whispered.

They began to hear voices from inside.

"Nat, we need to think of something!"

"Keep firing at her, Cyclops!"

"I can't keep up! Cyclops is tired! She's gonna catch us any second!"

Alucard couldn't wait anymore. "Alright, that does it!" The others nodded as they revealed themselves. They saw Natalia and Cyclops running to them through the dim space, the assassin's arm bleeding.

"Johnson, get Natalia! I'll get Cyclops!" Yinsen orders. The cyborg follows suit and sprints to shield Natalia. In the nick of time, he saves her from a flying crate that splits into numerous splinters. Johnson could feel the force transferred to him, nearly making him lose balance.

"She's strong," he said. "Natalia, how bad is your wound?"

"I can last, but Cyclops expended himself too much. Attend to him first!"

Yinsen picks up the mage and lets him rest to the wall outside. Cyclops' eye wasn't focusing well, and he was terribly exhausted. The hourglass behind him was still intact, fortunately.

"Cyclops, what's happening there?" Hayabusa asked. "Why did she-"

"I don't know! Cyclops doesn't know! All I know is that I came around the corner and she was looking at me with red eyes! I swear!" Cyclops squeaked, hyperventilating. "I had no choice but to attack her because she was charging to me like a demon! Please, trust me!"

"Calm down, Cyclops," Alucard comforts. "Where are your friends?"

"Resting… I need to snooze… but she's coming for us!"

Yinsen attends to Cyclops as Alucard, Johnson and Hayabusa stared at the dark area in front of them. A couple of crates and barrels lined and stacked on the walls and shelves, leaving a wide corridor for trucks and forklifts, which were parked for the time being.

"Ruby?!" Alucard called out. "Ruby? Are you there?"

There was no response.

"Alucard?" Hayabusa asked, worried. "I don't think-"

"This is the only way, Haya. We don't know-"

"Alucard?"

The group jumped as they heard the echo. Cyclops was already shivering in fright.

"No, no, no, no, no, don't go there, don't go there!"

"Ruby?" Alucard asked. "Please, come out."

Yinsen screeched (literally), "ALUCARD WHAT IN THE-"

"Yinsen, you know that we have to do this!"

"N-no…," the echo replied. "I… d-don't wanna…"

"Alu, we can't just lure her out of there," Johnson warns. "Who knows what she's undergoing right now!"

Alucard took note of what the cyborg said. "Sigh… Ruby, please, listen to me. It's alright."

"N-no… I… I don't want to… hurt you again, Alucard…"

"Don't say that. I know you're still good inside, Ruby. Don't drown on your own pain."

Alucard could see Ruby's silhouette emerging from the dark. However, something was definitely odd. Ruby looked like she was slowly limping, and she was dragging the scythe with her right hand, the edge carving the concrete floor.

"Ruby…"

"I'm s-sorry… Ha-ha… hahah…"

"Ruby?"

"She's not here… she's not here… heheh… She won't be…"

Alucard brandished his greatsword, and the others behind him followed suit. "What have you done to her?"

Ruby began to cackle in a devilish manner. "Why do you care for someone as putrid… as corrupt as her? You are deformed, but your soul… too pure for someone like her… a foul, miserable wretch!"

Alucard's eyes flared. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!"

She smiled at them as she beckoned them to get closer to her with her index finger. "Why don't you come here and find out, my darling?"

The Demon Hunter's sword ignited and threw it at Ruby. Her figure suddenly dissipated into shade, and she was gone. Alucard notices the corridor growing darker towards them. The greatsword returns to his hand.

"Johnson, we're gonna need some light!"

"Overriding light systems in 3… 2… 1!"

The place whirred as the lights began to turn on one by one, starting from the other end of the depot. Natalia watched in terror as she feels the presence growing stronger.

Alucard walked forward.

"Alucard?" Hayabusa asked. "Dude!"

"Who are you, and what have you done to Ruby?" Alucard interrogates, but there was no reply. "Fine then."

The lamps were nearing them…

Alucard pointed his greatsword to the ground and yelled, "STEP INTO THE LIGHT!" He struck the ground, unleashing a blinding wave of light. What he and the others saw astounded him.

Ruby was standing right in front of him, her eyes completely black. A dark aura enveloped her and was beginning to develop around Alucard. Behind her was a malevolent spirit baring its teeth.

"What are you waiting for? KILL," it commanded as it disappeared. Ruby abruptly pounces at Alucard and begins to claw at him. Alucard blocked her assault with his arms and grabbed her by the neck. He slammed her down to the ground. Hayabusa teleports next to him and clamps Ruby's arm. Another shadow aids Hayabusa in restraining the girl.

Alucard channels his greatsword back to him. He points it to Ruby, whose feral face didn't change. "I didn't come here to play with you. Where is Ruby, and what have you done to her?!"

Ruby laughed, but it wasn't her voice. It sounded as if it was distorted, as if the speaker was wheezing. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH… relax, kiddo… she i-is… with me, and w-we're gonna have so much fun together! Isn't that right, my lovely?"

Suddenly, Ruby's eyes reverted back to normal, and she stopped struggling. Tears flowed. "Alucard! P-Please, h-help me, h-he-"

She was immediately replaced with the evil spirit again. "Tsk tsk tsk… A party crasher!"

Ruby let out a wave of dark energy around her, throwing off Hayabusa and Alucard. Johnson had to shield himself as he clamped his feet to the ground. After the blast, he charged towards Ruby, who already stood upright. She willed the scythe back to her and swung, hitting Johnson's shield.

But instead of deflecting the attack, the scythe carved on it, leaving a nasty mark. Johnson charged again and made contact with Ruby, and he stopped in his tracks, his feet skidding on the floor.

And remember, folks. Johnson is pretty bulky, and no one just stops him instantly. Ruby was basically pushing him off normally, and he was STRUGGLING.

"Argh, need some help!" Johnson said under his breath as Ruby was gaining the upper hand. Hayabusa appeared behind her and slammed the butt of his sword to her temple, but she took the force and didn't even flinch. The ninja was astounded, long enough for a counter-attack. The dark spirit went out of Ruby and began to charge at him, and Hayabusa had no choice but to teleport at random locations within the depot.

"Haya, escape! It seeks you!" Johnson warns.

"You may have killed your nemeses, the traitor, but the demon lingers, Shadow," the spirit taunts. "You think you know the real power of darkness and use it for good… then you know not what you possess!"

As Hayabusa blinked back to Johnson, the spirit caught up with him and forced him to a wall. His face hit the wall first, causing a mild concussion. The spirit backed up to slam him again, but Hayabusa teleports just in time, confusing the spirit. As it looked behind him, he was met with Alucard, his clothes and weapon morphed, as his aura bursts into flames. The spirit veers to try and dodge it, but the aura was too strong. In a desperate attempt to throw the Hunter off…

Johnson was surprised to see Ruby vanish within plain sight, and sees her in front of Alucard, backed into the wall.

"Let her go! I won't ask you twice!" Alucard demanded, raising his blade. "Who are you?!"

"We were once the legion that commanded legions… Now, only two of us remain… the seventy have perished…," the voice narrated. "We are everywhere, yet inconceivable by your feeble, fickle minds, you incompetent children!"

"That's not enough. Who are you? Why did you choose to possess her?!"

"D-d-d-don't you see, Alucard? Hehehehe… I've been with her all along, ever since that fateful night… Oh, I've loved to see her go rampant once again, but you! You hinder my progress. You would even choose to hurt her to put her out of her misery!"

"I'm not talking to Ruby. If you are in control, then you are the one feeling pain, not her. I guess the joke's on you." Alucard forcibly stabs Ruby's body, impaling her to the wall.

"ALUCARD WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Hayabusa shouts, not knowing that what he did wasn't even life-threatening to Ruby at all.

"Agh, of course… now I know, spawn of the devil!" the spirit spat, Ruby's grin growing wicked. "The two of you are all the same, tainted in the past, yet you choose to defy fate, thinking you can change the future!"

Ruby suddenly transforms into a beautiful woman with flowing brown hair, sporting black eyes and an innocent smile.

"Alucard… my son, it's me!"

He was dumbfounded. "M-m-mom? I… it's you! I…"

"Why would you hurt me? Why?!"

"Because… t-that isn't you!"

Suddenly, the woman morphed back into Ruby's image. "Hahaha, now I know your weakness… it's your loyalty to these friends and family of yours! You will only bring despair on them as the sun rises on the 7th… the ninja will be left scarred, along with his love, who carries offspring… and you, Alucard, will watch as I take control of this rancid whore and let her-"

Alucard grabbed Ruby by the neck, but he knew what he was doing. The spirit cried out in agony as the flames choked it.

"Listen here. I don't care if you're going to talk like that to me. I know what I'm meant to do. And if you think about laying a hair on my family or on her without my consent, you'll get more than what you deserve to get. And at that point, I'll make sure you're just going to be another batch of fecal matter to be thrown to the creek."

"And what? Torture me, as these demons did to you?"

His eyes burned with seething fury, and Ruby's face contorted into one of fear.

"Don't make me put my tolerance to the test, scumbag."

Alucard let go and pulled out the sword, letting Ruby's body drop. The spirit took long to recuperate, and it did leave her body, its strength waning.

"This is inevitable, Hunter… You know nothing about me and my kin… Mark my words, one day, she herself will let me take over… and nothing will ever be the same to her! The remnants will not go quietly into the night!" And in a flash, the spirit disappeared.

The lights inside the depot flickered for a short moment before returning back to normal. Alucard assumed his normal form and cradled Ruby's body. The wounds he inflicted have dissipated.

"Physically, she will be alright, Alucard," Johnson assures. "Your hunch was right, about the spirit feeling pain. But who was that? It knows you and Ruby. It also said that… it has been with her ever since she has gone insane."

"Alucard… That demon… Does it ring a bell?" Hayabusa asks, panting. "Again, it's all too familiar. A legion that commanded legions?"

"AH! WHO GOES THERE?!"

The three turn around and see Cyclops, awake and hyperventilating. "Oh, um… Hi, is t-the spirit gone?"

"He won't bother us for the meantime," Natalia answers. "We will need to-"

"Alucard," a voice calls out. Estes appears from a conjured makeshift portal. "I heard that Ruby was having another episode. Is she alright?"

"For the meantime," Hayabusa says to the king. "The possession took a toll on her. Estes, do you know something about the 'legion that commanded legions?'" _Assuming I got that right…_

"What about… No."

Alucard took note. "Estes. What is it?"

"They are forgotten demons with forgotten names of the old age… The most vile and bizarre of them all, rivalling our own enemies… But their power has faded over time. Even my own kind would be troubled in terms of recognizing and or identifying them.

"So, they've been here ever since the Old War and the Creation?" Yinsen asks. "Silence means yes."

Estes sees Ruby gaining consciousness. "Alucard, attend to her. Hayabusa, Johnson, escort Cyclops, Yinsen and Natalia to the med bays. Discreetly discuss to the others about this. I will deal with the rest."

Natalia nods in response. Johnson, without a word, transforms back into a car and lets the others ride. Alucard, still holding Ruby, follows Estes into the makeshift portal, and they get transported to the library inside the citadel.

"I assume that you've caused quite a commotion when the two of you were… 'missing.'"

Alucard blushed hard. Of course, he wouldn't even forget about that event where they got caught by Alpha…

"Anyway, about them, your ancestors have strived hard to keep them in check. It is undoubtedly exasperating to monitor the actions of a few dozen catastrophe-inducing entities. Not all of them, however, can be deemed as evil. Some teach and grant wishes, while others recklessly create havoc throughout the Land of Dawn. It is disheartening that we had to vanquish them in the Old War."

Alucard laid Ruby on the table. Estes summons a pillow and a blanket for Ruby and wrapped it around her. Ruby's eyes fluttered.

"A-Alu…"

"Shh. It's okay, I'm here. You need to rest…"

"Alucard, I… I'm scared… Help m-me…" Hot tears began to stream down her face. "I d-don't want to hurt you…"

"You're not hurting me, I swear, I will find a way to help you, I promise."

Estes slowly applies a drowsiness enchantment on Ruby to help her doze.

"You didn't remove the demon out of her body, Alucard. A remnant of it always lives within her. She's a living manifestation of it. I have a speculation…"

Estes pulls out a book from a shelf. It had a leather strap with a brass button, and the title was engraved on it. Its title was rubbed off the cover. He ran through the pages, searching for a probable result. Alucard was able to catch images of indoctrination, pentagrams and gory sacrifice.

"This is no book for the faint-hearted," Estes says. "Graphic scenes aren't shied away from by this book. Anyways, the spirit you spoke to was not wrong. The demons exist… and they are such in other worlds, but they serve different purposes in the existing timelines. Again, in here, these demons uphold the ways of darkness, but not all of them can be considered purely evil. Such is the Yin and Yang, and the ever-misleading doctrine of balance, purity and taboo. Combine them all, and they will create the manifestation that we now call the 'Dark Lord'. We were able to vanquish their spirits, but it is a shame that they have to be destroyed rather than merely silenced. Some, we had to put within the Dreadmare Chest. We have banished more than half, but I didn't expect that only two will remain, one of them residing within Ruby herself."

"Is there a way to get it out?" Alucard asks.

"No. An individual demon is strong enough to cling to the host until death, but the one inside her is different. It seems to intensify Ruby's homicidal tendencies rather than make her do its bidding… as if it is encouraging her. Only one demon can do that."

Estes flipped through the pages of the book and stopped midway. Alucard eyed the portrait of a maniacally-looking dog with crazed eyes and a pair of wings.

"His name, scratched off the list, but this was one of his interpretations from the off-worlds.

"Makes sense. His profile fits Ruby's behavior whenever she goes in a slaughtering spree… And he controls nearly thirty legions, according to the unnamed book. Strange, they seem too familiar…"

"Don't worry now, Alucard. We killed all of the legions that the demons commanded in the Old War. The ones we are fighting are new, but reckless. This specific also incites affection towards friend and foe, which is confusing, but then again, like I told you, not all of the things these demons do are entirely evil… But the way I see it, you do not love Ruby just because of this demon… The feeling is mutual and pure, just like all the others. If that was the case, then he is weak."

Alucard sighs and nods in agreement. "That's good to hear… But who is the other one? It's the Dark Lord, I assume?"

"True. However, such a demon shouldn't be that powerful enough without external help. This demon must've possessed the qualities of its fallen, which is a bad sign. It will tip the scales of balance. However… who among them would even survive?"

"There's no point scouring for the name," Alucard suggests. "Heck, I don't think I would want to."

"Sounds about right, but if I have time, I will check on the list to find a proper candidate." Estes closes the book and returns it to the shelf. Alucard looks at his left and sees the door, open, with a girl peeking on the frame. As soon as he saw her, the figure turns around.

"Estes?"

"Yes?" Estes turns around and sees the door. "Alucard…"

"Estes, I need to-"

"Wait! I need to see her for myself as well."

The two race for the door and exited the library, looking around frantically. The girl was nowhere in sight.

"Damn, she vanished," Alucard mumbles to himself. As the two go back to the door, Lunox was in view, standing right near the other side of the door.

"GOD- Why do you have to give us a fright every ti-"

Lunox said nothing, but held her index finger to her lips, indicating her need for silence. Estes prepares his runes.

"Lunox? Is it really you?" the king asks. "Try and answer us."

She slowly walked up to Alucard, outstretching her right arm…

" _She's slightly shorter than Ruby…"_

"Alucard? What are you-"

As her gloved hand touches Alucard's temple, the Demon Hunter gets jarred into a vision.

" _W-WAIT!"_

He opens his eyes and sees the battlefield in front of him, but there was no one… except for Zhao, who was kneeling down, crying.

"Zhao? What happened?" Alucard moves around and sees his friend cradle a purple body, blood oozing out of its side.

" _W-why?! WHY?!"_

"Zhao, I'm-"

" _H-how could they… How could you?!"_

"Zhao, lis-"

Suddenly, his perception warped, and in an instant, Yun was already grabbing Alucard by the neck, possessing a strained face. _"I TRUSTED YOU! WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE HIS PLACE?!"_

"Zhao, s-stop-"

" _ **WHY WOULD I?! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S LIKE TO LOSE SOMEONE, DO YOU?! OF COURSE YOU DON'T!"**_

The vision changes, and Alucard was let go. He struggled to breathe as he tries to stand up. When he regains footing, he sees Lancelot and Odette, holding hands… but they seem… changed. They were pure white in Alucard's eyes, and blue lines emphasized their shape…

" _My love… I'm sorry… I wasn't-"_

" _Shhh… at least… we gave them all the time they needed… Bring me along to the stars, okay?"_ She looks at Alucard. _"Hey… make our sacrifice worthwhile."_

Lancelot looks at Alucard. _"Make it all worthwhile, Alucard."_

Alucard gets sent out of the dream, finding himself sitting on the wall of the hallway, Estes helping him up. Lunox was still there, but her _left_ hand was outstretched…

"Alucard! Are you hurt?"

He paid no attention as he stood up quickly, pacing towards Lunox. "WHAT DID YOU SHOW ME?! TELL ME!"

She replied, "Only the inevitable." And just like that, she disappeared, phasing out.

Alucard hyperventilated. In frustration, he punches the wall, making a dent. "Damn it!"

"Alucard-"

"Estes… She… she showed me…"

"What?"

"We have to warn Zhao, now."

"But what about-"

"Take care of her, Estes. If she wakes, bring her to me, stat."

Meanwhile…

"No sign of them?"

"Nope, not at all."

Miya stopped aiming with her bow and sat down next to Karina. "I'm troubled…"

The two of them were sitting down on the traversable top of the main walls, their backs resting on the walls of the ledges. (By the way, it's still a shock to know that even the main wall is top notch in terms of decoration. Seriously, gold linings and accents?!)

Karina looks at the archer. "That's something I wouldn't expect to hear from you. Is there something bothering you?"

"This doesn't seem right… The five of them will be out in the field… Shouldn't Helcurt and Moskov be absent?"

"You mean to say that they could be targeting specific people to lower our momentum?"

"Something along those lines, Karina. They wouldn't be attacking Zhao, they could be-"

"Don't think that, c'mon! If that is what will happen, we are going to have each other's backs. No one gets in the way. If someone will die today, let's just hope they wouldn't die in vain. Makes me worry as well… Hey, where's Zhao?"

"He's taking a break with Haya. We will be going out soon enough, and we are expecting a lot more casualties."

"We're still 13,000,000 strong, right?"

"Correction. 12,000,000 and some spare hundred-thousands," a synthesized voice said. Alpha and Saber was in front of them. "We can last… but the numbers are still increasing from the other side. Estes' information was right… The Reservoir is really the source of all the outpouring demons. Saber has also catalogued new foes with Grock's help."

Saber's antennae slowly whirred. "Enemy Analysis #32, recorded one hour ago. New enemies, namely Shadowbringers, Goblins, Enhanced Ravagers. Numerical Estimation: Amounting to thousands only. Conclusion: Dark Lord's last batch of units, before Leviathan."

"Wait, Shadowbringers?!" Karina exclaimed in shock.

"Shadowbringer Army Analysis: Possesses dampened speed and agility when compared to Helcurt. Stingers do not contain toxin nor tranquilizer. Cannot swallow light. Synthesis: Geneticized. Source: Reservoir."

"These Shadowbringers are basically degenerates from the Reservoir. They won't be much of a hassle," a new voice started.

"Ah, Chou. I thought-"

"Nah, I wasn't planning to take a break. And besides, the battleground is basically soulless right now. The units in the field have also noticed the apparent disintegration of the bodies of the fallen demons… At least we won't have to worry about epidemics and crap. The med bays have a lot to fix right now. By the way, where are the others?"

"Prepping," Miya replies. "Have you seen Zhao, Chou?"

"Nope, but I did see him in the evacuation centers, sending some speedy deliver- Wait, Karina, did you just get a makeover?"

Chou thought he was dreaming, but he wasn't. Karina really did change. Her skin was that of a normal human's, and even her elf ears had armor. Heck, her armor looked futuristic, with black scales and turquoise highlights.

"Sorry, Saber's idea."

Chou looked at Saber. "Dude, elaborate."

Alpha barged. "You see, Saber thought it would be a good idea to give everybody enhancements and such. Also, there's this-"

"I KNOW, BUT WHY DIDN'T YOU THINK ABOUT GIVING ME ONE?!"

Saber tells Chou, "My logistics suggested to not give you one, considering that your power is mostly spiritual and based on your-"

"Argh, fine… But a new suit would look cool, honestly…"

The alarm blares again, and the five stand in attention.

"Here we go." Saber immediately unfurls his mechanical wings and boosts up high in the air, leaving the others in the dust.

"Chou, go get your friends. Karina, get Estes and the others. I'll scout," Miya commands. "Alpha, join the army. Wait for Estes."

"Sure thing."

Miya nocks a light arrow with her bow and zooms in with her enhanced sight. She sees Zhask slowly walk forward in the field with his Kastiyans with their weapons out. Alice and Vexana were hovering, while Moskov and Helcurt were waiting from the back, along with the Dark Lord.

Miya catches the words of the Dark Lord to Moskov.

" _You know what should be done. Never be afraid to kill someone you love for the sake of this world. It's what you wanted, right? Peace? Then go forth and do as I command."_

Moskov simply grimaces and leaves, walking forward with a dark expression on his face.

The archer thought to herself, _"This isn't going to be good."_

MeanwHIle..,.,.kopqqmdk

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 _ **W4rn1nG; v1rAl Int0wrusi000n?!**_

 _ **[DATA EXPUNGED]**_

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 _ **[DATA EXPUNGED]**_

 _ **Viral intrusion resolved. Threat eliminated.**_

 _ **Incoming Transmission!**_

 _(The following is an audio log taken from an unknown [DATA EXPUNGED] phone model. No record date can be identified.)_

"Arc?"

"Y-yeah?"

"I know this is hard for you to take in, but…"

"I know… You don't have to remind me."

"The [DATA REDACTED] is-"

"Yeah… it hurts like a [DATA REDACTED]."

"Hey… it's okay. You can take chemo or surgery, or other forms of treatment. The doctors are letting you choose."

"I'd settle with taking painkillers. Chemo is too risky… I don't think surgery will do the trick as well…"

"Arc… just remember, we're all here for you."

"I know… I just need some time to think, that's all."

 _ **END OF TRANSMISSION.**_

 _ **ALERT! INCOMING MESSAGE!**_

 _Don't believe too much, alright?_

"You ready, bro?"

"Yup. Sure, Haya."

Zhao and Hayabusa were in the fray, awaiting the go signal along with the others. All of the marksman and mages were at the back.

"Where's Kagura?" the spearman asked.

"She is going to come out later. She's also undergoing the… 'change.'"

"It's really weird, seeing ourselves change into something else, it's completely surreal… for me, that is. I also heard Ruby had-"

"Yep," Hayabusa sighed. "Another issue to tackle. Alucard and Estes discussed something about… nevermind."

Zhao asked for assurance. "Let me guess. You found what's giving her the impulse.

"Hmm… back in the Old War, our ancestors had to fight against all of those demons, I assume?"

"And all of them make up the Dark Lord."

"Bingo! I knew it. I can see how the manifestation was able to deceive Vexana and Alice. The edgelord's IQ must be pretty damn high."

"But he's more likely pissed this time around, now that a couple of them are gone. From what I heard, there are like… 5 left?"

"Two," someone corrected. Alucard barged in. "And one of them got ahold of Ruby."

"Two?" Zhao asked. "Oh, damn. So, the other one is the Dark Lord?"

"Yes, who most likely absorbed the power of the other fallen. Sounds like Argus, but it can't be him. Like Estes said, 'forgotten demons with forgotten names.'"

"Which demon, Alucard? If I am correct, they can completely possess a host or something. Ruby is still-"

"I know, but Ruby seems to be the one in charge of the spirit, she must have mishandled it back in the depots when she attacked Cyclops."

"If that's the case, then who's the other one? I know it's the Dark Lord, and that the spirit gains the strength of its fallen brethren, but who could it be?"

"Estes is trying to find out too, but something tells me he already knows the name. Anyway, we should get going. The showdown's about to start."

"Do you see Moskov?" Zhao asked Alucard. "I see him, and he's less enthusiastic now."

"Maybe the Dark Lord gave him a warning. I hope not. Zhao, no matter what the case, if necessary, never hesitate to end him," Hayabusa suggests. "It's the best possible course of action if he doesn't change."

"I won't be there to help you, sadly," Alucard groans. "It's too dangerous for me to get out there. Argus and a few others will keep an eye out for all of you. Rafaela is with the Gem to make some bombardments. Stage Two defenses are up. The terrain is going rough."

"Just make sure the shots land in a place where we aren't," Zhao says. "C'mon, Haya. Time to have another chat with Moskov." Before he could leave, Alucard grabs him by the shoulder.

"Zhao, listen to me… Lunox appeared again."

His eyes widened. "R-Really? Did she say anything?"

"Not much, but… She warned me that Moskov… He…"

Zhao knew what Alucard was trying to say. He did fear the probability of killing Moskov himself, but if that was necessary…

"Hey. I'll live carrying it with me if that happens. But if I do go nuts about it, please give me time."

"You said it yourself," Alucard grimaces. "Don't take back your words. Go and move."

Meanwhile…

"Careful!"

Sun was up front, holding back multiple Morphlings. Clint was behind him, throwing sand grenades and swiftly unloading his revolvers to their bodies. A Spitfire dives toward him, and Sun slams it to the ground with his cudgel before it could hit Clint. The two escape, Sun leaving a group of doppelgangers to confuse the demons.

"Let's halt for a while," Sun orders. "The replacements are coming."

Clint eyes three Wretches as he regains his breath, charging straight towards them. "Sun! We need to go!"

Before they could react properly, Hylos and his fellow centaurs ran towards the beasts along the pathway, driving them back. Hylos slams his staff towards their legs, breaking their bones and crippling them. One of his centaurs stabs through another Wretch's skull, killing it. The other two were pummeled with blunt force trauma.

"Sun, Clint, go back to the wall. You earned your break."

The two nod as they return in a hurry, the army's formation advancing. Alpha flew from behind them. Beta unleashed a storm of bullets towards the Ravagers. Alpha jumped off and aimed his spear at the ground. As he landed, the kinetic force from the spear spread outward on the ground, repelling multiple Morphlings.

"Saber, you reading this?"

"Yes," the fellow cyborg replies. "The waves gradually increase in force. The main five targets are not rushing into the scene. Grock, Fanny and I will keep watch. We'll descend if we need to. This won't be easy."

"Grock says same thing!" the titan bellows, trampling a Wretch and a dozen Shadowbringers with his foot. "Bad animals. Bad!"

A few more heroes poured out of the gates, running to the fray. Miya launches a cable arrow pointing to the ground. As it tethered, she flips and lands on the cable with both feet and slides, aiming and shooting whatever and whenever she can. She charges her bow, forcing her arrows to split and hit more targets, clearing the Ravagers and Morphlings easily. The army cheers as their best archer rallies alongside them. Miya helps a Bastion that was holding down three Stalkers. She jumps on the shield and launches a rain of arrows around her, impaling the demons to the ground. She aims for a Spitfire, but it suddenly turns into a fluffy cat. Said demon was knocked out cold by a familiar boomerang.

"Nana? You sure you're up for this?"

"I've faced worse, Miya. Let's do this!"

"Hey, wait!"

The two see Cyclops and Harley running towards them. "We'll help you out. Anything we need to do?"

"Yeah," Miya answers. "Let's take them out, and watch our backs."

Cyclops summons orbs of cosmic energy floating around him. A Ravager decides to get close to him, but fails as the orbs disintegrate the beast to ash. The mage shoots forth other conjured projectiles, the hourglass in use. Harley teleports with his hat and launches a deck of cards at the Morphlings that followed. Each card floated around like drones seeking their target, the nearest ones protecting Harley from any impending attack. Johnson drove past the four and crashed into a Wretch. As he transformed back to a human, Roger jumps out and turns into a werewolf, clawing and shredding the still conscious demon, ensuring the kill.

"Not enhanced," Roger breathed out. "Johnson, save your artillery for the tougher enemies. The demons aren't enhanced yet. We don't want to waste our resources."

"Agreed. You can clear them out alone, Roger?"

"Yes, but a bit of company will be good, too. Ah, speak of the devil."

Roger eyes Hayabusa, Kagura, Akai and Lesley coming forth.

"You know what to do, Akai," Hayabusa began. "Remember to-"

"Protect Kagura at all costs YES I KNOW THAT, JEEZ!" Akai grumbles, slamming his staff onto a Ravager, breaking its jaw. Lesley shoots the demon's skull.

"Goblins, dead ahead!" the sniper aims and scouts the scene. Sure enough, they had green skin and leather pauldrons (and insanely awful hygiene). They wielded rusty axes and machetes and charged with a faulty formation.

"Guys, get ready!"

Before they could begin their defense, Argus suddenly appears to the scene, hacking them down to bits. A Goblin manages to land a blow to Argus' exposed arm, but the wound that should've amputated the limb healed immediately. Argus looks back at the creature in silence. He grabs its neck and crushes its throat to a pulp before dropping the enemy.

"Pardon. I've had issues with creatures like these," the fallen angel said. "The five of you need to back off for now. If the five go into the fray, I would need to leave. I'll fend off the Goblins for the meantime. Help the others."

"You heard him!" Kagura starts. "C'mon!" The five flee as they see Argus flying further to the dangerous section of the battlefield, engaging by his lonesome.

Roger raises his head and sees the kingdom's built-in defenses activate. He watches as the bombs carpet the field behind them, creating pillars of fire that prevent other demons from getting through.

"We're like, far away from the flames, right?" Akai wonders. "The smoke isn't all bad, but it still stinks." The panda squints and catches something move through the fire. "Lesley?"

The sniper quickly looks through her scope. "It's them. We need to run, now!"

The five turn heads and sprint, Roger already on all fours. Hayabusa carries Kagura and switches places with his shadows, getting to the other side safely. Akai forcibly jumps high in the air as if he was catapulted, reaching the army faster than Roger.

But Lesley was left behind.

"Guys? Argh, this sucks."

"Wait!" Hayabusa began, looking around. "How about Lesley?"

Before he could finish the sentence and let Kagura stand, Gossen launches his dagger on a fleeing Wretch that was moving towards the marksman.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

Lesley crouches and tries to shoot down the Wretch, but it kept on charging. She eyes Gossen dashing towards them at supersonic speed. As he stops, he turns and the two faces the Wretch.

"Any way out of this one?" Lesley asks, also pointing at the Ravagers converging towards them.

"Easy."

Gossen launches five daggers, pushing the Wretch back, but not fazing it. Frustrated, he launches more and more daggers, sticking to the demon's tough hide.

"Lesley! Brace!" he shouts.

"Brace?"

Without warning, he hooks his arm to Lesley's waist and teleports behind the Wretch. With his free arm, Gossen launches his daggers two by two, slowing the Ravagers already climbing on the Wretch's body just to get the two of them. Gossen rolls, dragging Lesley along who was also shooting at anything that was the enemy. The assassin eyes Saber and throws his dagger to the cyborg in flight.

"You ready?"

"Gossen, w-wait! I don't-"

"Sorry."

Gossen goes into supersonic speed, recalling the 95 daggers that he conjured and threw, slicing through the Wretch and the Ravagers. (Yes, the files said there were 95 daggers. Precisely 95. Not joking.) As they flew high, the Spitfires were now zoning towards them. Lesley reloads her rifle and manages to neutralize three of them before Gossen reaches Saber.

Wait a minute.

Of course, the pair will fall. Saber can't reach them.

"Lesley!" Gossen throws another dagger and zooms to it again, and during the travels, he kept throwing the daggers downward to try and catch up to her. He immediately went to terminal velocity as the Spitfires also swooped down to nick them. As the two fell, Alpha and Beta flew up and sprayed the demons with bullets, and Alpha killed the survivors with his light spear. Gossen catches Lesley, and Grock laid his hand below the two, catching them before disaster.

"Two of you should play safe," Grock mutters, his face worried. "Hard to catch safely for Grock."

"Blame Gossen for it," Lesley heaved out, laughing. "That was fun."

"Yeah, let's not do that again," Gossen grumbles. He turns to Bruno. "Hey, you ready for this?"

"Yep. As always, the big guns stay back. Some are resting, so what's out here would suffice for the meantime." Bruno walks forward and hollers at the others. "HEY! YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO! DON'T THINK ABOUT KILLING THEM BECAUSE YOU CAN'T!"

"Bruno is right," Argus barges in, folding his wings. "If we try killing them, we'll just die tired. We can't cut through our way out of this situation."

"So simply, push them back!" Tigreal adds. "Let's make sure no one dies today!" He pulls out his sword and points at the villains. "For the Light!"

"FOR THE LIGHT!"

It's logical for the tanks to go first, right? It's a common rule in Mobile Legends, everyone knows that.

But I just can't accept the fact that Fanny always goes first. Here's how it went down.

Fanny launched herself through the field with her cables, and she gets propelled towards Zhask. Through instinct, she spins around mid-flight, managing to slice the alien into bits, but the wounds regenerated instantaneously.

"Agh! Flying pest!" Zhask spawns the Dominator, but Fanny was already flying out of the way and into Helcurt. Seeing that the Shadowbringer was in her way, she veered off by launching a cable to Grock's leg, diverting Helcurt's attention. Confused, Helcurt attempts to inject poison on Fanny, but misses, and was met by Hylos' staff. The Shadowbringer flew a few meters back, but regains footing by teleporting to Karrie, who dashed backwards in time for Irithel and Leo to pounce on Helcurt. He swallows the light around him, blinding half the heroes in the vicinity, but decides to retreat.

"Stay back," Alice commands Helcurt. "They grow fearful of you. Let me have my time with them!"

" _F-F-Fine! I'll arrive l-l-l-later!"_

Estes stays at the back with Rafaela (replaced by Gord, who now stays with the Gem), setting up traps and wards all around the field to lock the five in place. Zhask doesn't move from his position and stays with the Dominator. Yi Sun Shin charges his bow and shoots an arrow that blinds the Dominator (yet again), distorting its aim. He flips just in time as Zhask launches a deadly lightning bolt, making a small but prominent crater on where the general previously stood.

"Alice! Hold them off! I will advance!" the alien calls. "You need to grab their attention! Divide… and conquer."

She didn't say nothing, but she knew what Zhask wanted. Alice launches a blood orb and teleports to Miya, but Akai was blocking her way, so instead of phasing through to the archer, Alice got blown back by Akai's belly.

"Oops, didn't mean to do that!" the panda reacts sarcastically. As Alice tries to shake off her dizziness, Akai whacks her with his bamboo staff. "And also that, that, that, and most especially that! Kagura!"

The mage throws her umbrella, but keeps her distance, shooting pink holographic flowers at Alice. Irritated, she throws her blood orb and tries to snatch Kagura, but she teleports to the umbrella, unharmed. Confused, Alice didn't see Estes' newly conjured portal transport Gord's mystic projectile from the citadel and into her face, knocking her to the ground. Struggling, she flies off before Harley could throw his cards at her.

"That was awesome! We need to keep up the pace!" Harley switches places with his hat, dodging Vexana's ghostly hand. He throws a ring of fire at the necromancer, but Vexana has a shield around her, negating the spell immediately. Occupied, Vexana doesn't notice Freya's shield breaking her ward, sending her skidding on the ground.

"I thought you'd be dead!" Freya groans, banging her sword and shield. "The ocean's pressure should've killed you!"

"Fat chance, Freya." Vexana stretches her hand and makes the area around Freya explode, forcing the Valkyrie to jump off… directly onto the Dominator's beam, which Karina blocked with her blades. As the assassin turned, she slices down Vexana's body, spinning her weapons around.

"That's for my sisters, hag. In fact, you deserve more than that!" Karina stops and rushes Vexana with insane speed. The necromancer casts another ward, but Karina wasn't aiming for her, but for Moskov, who was busy pinning down Minotaur with his dark spears. Moskov dashes away and launches a dark spear, impaling Karina to a nearby rock for a few seconds. The spear dissipates, and Karina doesn't see any wound on her torso.

" _Really intriguing, Moskov. You fight us, but you don't actually_ hurt _us…"_

Miya appears from her peripheral vision. "Hey! Duck!" Karina follows, and Miya shoots forth her light arrow towards a leaping Shadowbringer, killing it in mid-air. Karina retreats and helps the others in knocking down Moskov. Miya runs around, nocking and shooting her light arrows at Zhask, but the alien was merely annoyed.

"Aha…"

Miya, wary, backs off immediately as Zhask shoots another destructive lightning bolt. She sees Fanny charge towards Zhask again, doing the same tactic she did a while ago, but instead of focusing on another target, she hovers around the Dominator, attempting to throw off their attention. After a few seconds, she zooms and releases her cables, slashing down with her swords, but Zhask blocks it with his staff.

"You belong with the crows!" Zhask angrily says.

"But you belong with the bugs that we always crush." Fanny backflips away, making Saber charge freely and slice off Zhask's legs. The alien yelps in pain as Saber immediately follows it up with another downward slash. Fanny follows suit, and as every second passed, the two make mincemeat out of Zhask, which prevents the Dominator to operate. (This is because it requires Zhask's commands.)

"D-Damn you!" Zhask slams the butt of his staff to the ground, forcing them out. Saber and Fanny land on their feet and retreat as they see the other Kastiyans converging towards them. "Don't let them run!"

The Kastiyans aimed their ranged artillery, but Alpha and Beta flew above them and carpeted them with bombs. Alpha detached from Beta and dived towards the blast zone, discreetly stabbing and striking the remaining aliens.

"Saber, you good?"

"Watch your back. Helcurt is returning."

"Sure thing. Let's just keep ourselves- WOAH!"

Alpha caught the sight of a huge ice boulder dropping in front of him, generating a frozen wasteland three-hundred meters in diameter. The cyborg sees Aurora behind the fray, looking calmly at the scene with the army.

"Saber, you seeing this?"

"Only the big monsters will be able to pass through the ice. Keep calm and keep an eye out for enhanced Wretches. I'm picking up their signatures, but not their exact locations," Saber replies, flying towards Grock and the airborne ships.

Alpha turns tail and runs past the stunned Zhask, slowly but surely recovering from the sudden bombardment, his face suffering third-degree burns. He points his staff in the middle of the fight and spawns an enhanced Dominator.

"Pesky rats… Let my pet teach you some manners!"

"Heads up!" Hayabusa warned. He pushes Nana and Roger out of the Dominator's deadly beam. The spawn focuses on the ninja as he dashes to different places to rescue his friends. As Hayabusa stops, the Dominator immediately launches the laser at him. He luckily deflects it with his blade, but the laser kept intensifying.

"Argh… LITTLE HELP OVER HERE!" Hayabusa called out. Kagura responds by throwing the umbrella as a shield, protecting Hayabusa from the ray of death. The Dominator didn't hold back as it strengthened the laser again, somewhat penetrating Kagura's umbrella.

As it tore through the umbrella, Gatot stepped in front of the ninja and blocked the beam with his gauntlets, charging it with foreign but powerful energy. Hayabusa gets out of the sitch as Gatot laughs.

"You've messed with the wrong warrior." Gatot leaps high in the sky and with one punch, squishes the spawn to smithereens, scattering the chunks in multitudes of directions.

Johnson blocked the bluish blood and guts with his shield, hiding the eyes of Cyclops, Nana and Harley. "Yuck. Disgusting."

"Haya," Akai starts. "Kagura doesn't want to go out for now. She will have to wait for the umbrella to mend itself for a few minutes."

As the last word left his lips, Moskov appears and impales Akai and Chou with one spear, locking them down. Estes reacts by letting up one of his wide stasis wards, but Moskov retreats in haste, Alice replacing him. Before Alice could go into Drinking State, Zhao lunges at her and stabs her multiple times per second.

"No, not today, you-"

Zhao stopped speaking as an enhanced Wretch emerged from the ground below him. Zhao stabs its spine and pushes the spear deeper, and slides down the backbone, exposing the skeleton. The Wretch roars in pain as it was suddenly paralyzed. Hilda and Balmond sliced its legs and slammed their axes to its thick skull, finally killing it.

"Um… that was easy," Natalia mutters, cleaning her claw.

Alice shrieks, sending most of the heroes flying and skidding to the ground. They regain footing as she made a fit. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO SPAWN ONE OF THEM?!"

Meanwhile…

"Damn, can't join them. You know, it's boring, just waiting out in the open."

"Can relate, Alu," Victor says. "My butt is overworked. I'm drinking a bit to dull the pain." He takes a swig of whiskey. "You know, I'm sorry."

"About what? You didn't do anything wrong?"

"That's the point, kid. We didn't say anything to you."

Alucard remembered Argus' explanation, how the Demon Hunter clan found him in that forsaken forest…

"Hey. You didn't know. And besides, it was for my own good. You and Argus had a point, but if anything, I still trust you, Victor. I know you're a bit of an old man, but you're willing to make a change. Don't-"

"Now now, don't make me cry tears, because you can't," Victor replies. "I'm just doing this for my daughter."

Alucard's eyes widened. "I didn't know you had a-"

"I had one. Had. Got chewed up by a Ravager…"

"Oh… I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. At least she lives in the afterlife knowing that I still care for her, even after a couple of decades after that event… At least."

Alucard lowered his head, his morale beginning to sink. "What's her name?"

"Isabelle."

"Well, Victor. I can't think of a better name than that," he said, smiling weakly.

"Nah, don't compliment. Too late for that. We're all gonna go to hell because of you, boy."

"Heh, you bet."

A guard calls at Victor. "Hey. Your squadron is up."

"Right on time. See you on there, kid. Don't do anything funny while we're out here." Victor stands up and stretches his back as he whistles, calling a few of his men armed with cocktails and guns.

Alucard sighs. "That must be heavy for him to bear. Didn't know he was a father. There's just no more time to confess. I just hope they're all alright. I don't want them to die because of me."

Before he could relax on the seat, he spots two guards conversing. But what made him hold his attention was the familiar silhouette behind them, looking at Alucard.

He closes his eyes. "I swear, she's going to be the end of me…" He opens them again, and Lunox was gone.

Alucard grins. "I knew it. It's just- AH, MOTHER OF-"

Yes, the party was short-lived, because she was now sitting beside him on his right on the long seat propped against the main wall. But Lunox didn't look at him, but merely hung her head low, staring at the ground with her hands clasped. Calming down, Alucard noticed that Lunox was… dulling. Her outfit grew worn and grey, as if she was losing color and taste. A small but distinct crack could be seen on her cheek running to her left eye. She wasn't crying, but if she was, she remained silent.

Concerned, the Demon Hunter makes the move and outstretches his hand. Lunox saw this and slowly unclasped her hands, her left hand drifting toward his demonic arm. As they made contact, Alucard asked her.

"Moskov will die, won't he? Does the same go for Lance and Odette? You can't remain vague to me forever. The others are growing worried."

Lunox only blinked once, then slowly turned her head to face him… then gripped his hand. Slowly, Alucard's vision warped, but in a slow, soothing manner…

He finds himself in the dark, with only his breathing as the only thing that could be heard. He looked around to see if there was anything to be found, but there was none. Confused, he looked back and saw a man a couple of meters away from him. He wore a tidy lab coat and sharp-looking shoes. He sported a pair of half-framed glasses, a weary look prominent due to his dark eyebags. He looked at Alucard, adjusting his grey hair.

"My son…"

Alucard was conflicted. "D-Dad?"

"Don't feel bad, it was never your fault to begin with. This is as close as we can do in terms of conversation… I wish I had been there to see you grow… Don't let yourself down, okay?"

"Dad!"

"I'll come back for you. We always find a way!"

Before Alucard could run towards Rooney, the vision ends and he was back to facing Lunox, who stopped clutching his hand.

Lunox smiled at him. "There will still be light beyond the endless darkness, hero. What matters is that you find it in yourself, for it's what makes us strong… Hope."

"Alucard?"

Alucard looked up and saw Ruby racing towards him, reaching in for a hug. Panicked, he looks back at Lunox, but she was gone without a trace. Instinctively, he stood up and hugged Ruby.

"Hey, I thought-"

"Estes let me go now… I'm sorry for-"

"No need to say sorry. It was never your fault to begin with. And besides, we're here now. Nothing's gonna happen."

Ruby pulled away. "Hey, who were you talking to?"

Alucard turned around and looked back to where he sat, sighing. Ruby wasn't sure, but she had a hunch.

"It was her, right? Did she show anything?"

"Yeah… I saw my dad."

Ruby's eyes widened. "You mean… Rooney?"

"Yes, but that wasn't really my greatest concern, Ruby. Lunox… she's growing tired. She looked dull in my eyes... Not necessarily eyebags and all, but, it's as if she was-"

"Fading?"

"Mhm… That's still not a good sign. She doesn't want conflict, but the only way to resolve conflict…"

"Is through conflict," they answered in unison.

"Crap. All we can do is wait," Alucard grumbles. "Should be out there saving lives…"

"Well, while we're waiting here…" Ruby forced Alucard to sit down as she wraps her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. "Don't make me lose sight of you too early, okay?"

Meanwhile…

Alice unleashes her Drinking State, but everybody cleared the whole zone so that her power would backfire against her. She launches an orb towards Aurora, but the Queen of Ice spawns a frozen wall just in time, blocking Alice. Frustrated, Alice rears and charges straight through the ice and breaking it, only to be cut by the ice blade floating around Aurora. Alice attempts to capitalize and overwhelm Aurora, but the mage spawns more swords one at a time, poking and slicing Alice when she went too close. Miya, hiding beneath a rock, shoots a light arrow, hitting Alice's eye. Yelping in pain, Alice could do nothing as Aurora held back the opposition with a dozen irregularly shaped swords.

"I misjudged you," Alice said. "You're still strong."

"Stronger than yesterday, witch."

"Take that back!" Alice charges with another Blood Orb, but Aurora merges her hands, forcing the 12 swords to merge into one huge greatsword, and with one swing, slaps Alice flying into the air. Aurora blocks the Dominator's beam with the flat of the sword.

She unlocks one of the blades on the greatsword to intercept the Dominator's vision, but the Kastiyans shoot it down. Aurora disassembles her huge sword and uses the fragments to protect herself. The aliens advance but Natalia was already behind them, taking each one in a flash of bright slashes. The front sees her and screeches, signaling her presence. Before they could react properly, Tigreal pushed them back with his shield, killing a few with blunt force trauma. Confused, the Kastiyans shoot randomly in the air as Natalia and Tigreal finish them off.

"Where's Zhask?" Tigreal asks. Natalia points to the hill, where Zhask was trying to let the Dominator recover. Unfortunately, Miya was bombarding the two with her arrows, knowing that the spawn should not heal. Zhask already creates a shield around him with his staff's power and aims at Miya, shooting his lightning bolts. Miya launches an arrow to be sure, and the projectile deflects off of the field.

"Miya can't shoot as long as that shield is active!" Estes says. He goes into the frontlines, Hylos with him. As Zhask launches a lightning bolt, Estes creates a momentary shield in front of Miya, making the bolt ricochet to an unawares Vexana, stunning her.

"Curses! Why won't you die?!" Zhask yells as he keeps on shooting, but his own shield was starting to break as Roger shoots it down with his shells. Miya looks above as she runs and shoots, unleashing a rain of arrows on Zhask and the Dominator. Suffering from the pincer strategy, Zhask releases another spawn as Roger breaks the shield. The new Dominator lets out a beam behind Roger. The werewolf roars but maintains its focus on Zhask. Hilda charges from behind and slams the axe on Zhask's torso, but it lodged within.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Zhask spawns another Dominator, but before it could grow, Balmond already responds and cuts it off the base, killing it. Roger, Hilda and Balmond trades their blows to Zhask. Annoyed, Zhask slams his staff to the ground and repels the both of them, only for his vision to find Fanny charging at him with her blades. The alien enhances the two Dominators, making them grow in size and strength almost instantaneously. Surprised, Fanny releases her cables and shoots them toward the sky, hooking two Spitfires. She launches herself in the air, completely dodging the lasers. Zhask wastes no time for the flyer as he commands the two spawns to travel to the clashing.

Hylos notices the enhanced spawn pushing up the ground. "Estes!"

The Elven King responds with a stasis ward, greatly slowing down the spawn. Estes sees the other spawn that has already emerged, aiding Moskov.

"If we don't find a way to take those down, the others will be pinned," Estes says. "Hylos, how about your centaurs?"

"They've already went in, Estes. Wait, how about the Demon Hunters?"

"They've already responded. We must escort Miya first, I assume, then we deal with the threat."

Hylos nods and casts a pathway, speeding them up.

"Moskov, listen to me," Zhao began, dodging a strike. "You're saying nothing, but your eyes tell the truth. You hate doing this!"

He locks his sights on Moskov and charges straight through, slicing away the Ravagers and Wretches. Moskov constantly dashes away, but gets caught by Zhao in the process. He flips him around and kicks him towards his side. Moskov regains his footing but Clint shoots him at the cranium. Moskov was stunned, but he slowly looked back at Clint, the wound already healing.

"Oh, crap."

Moskov charges the spear in his hand. Zhao sees this and immediately kicks his arm, sending the Spear of Destruction flying. The said projectile zooms and nicks a couple of Spitfires and Wombats, while making a large hole on one of Bane's ships. It was better than losing 5% of the army, though.

" _Okay, breathe easy… Kill when necessary, Zhao. Don't screw up. It's still your best bro. If he wanted it, I'd be shish-kebabbed already."_

Zhao eyes Estes creating a deceptive visual hazard at Zhask. The alien commander sees this and abruptly drops the shield, fazed.

"W-What is this s-symbol?!"

" _Got you."_

Hylos charges with the pathway and knocks Zhask off the high ground with his scepter. Zhask, losing focus, accidentally points the three Dominators to himself. Miya focuses her arrows as the spawns hurt their own master. Zhask couldn't stand as they focused their lasers.

"I… command you to CEASE!" he yells, and the spawns explode into a gory mess, the force gales knocking him back. One of the spawn's lasers remained active and hit Moskov as the marksman was about to dash, incapacitating him.

Zhao begins to run straight towards Moskov, hoping to pin his shoulder to the ground with his spear. Before he could reach him, a wave of darkness began to cloud his vision. He grumbles in frustration and slashes the air behind him, actually making contact with Helcurt's chest.

" _Argh! Brethren… Maul this foolish warrior with your claws!"_

Zhao felt a small horde of Shadowbringers frantically racing to his location. He sighs, "Okay… Zhao, get ready to go cray!"

Without warning, he spins around his body with his spear, performing a randomized pattern of flurried slashes and strikes, disorienting the Shadowbringers' focus. He managed to pierce through a few bodies around, but the horde remained constant in their numbers. He felt the heavy air rush away as Miya jumped from Tigreal's shield and shot two arrows at a time, landing killing shots. The Shadowbringers flee as the archer lands, but Vexana was already there, and she caught Miya with the grip of her ghostly hands.

"No can do to save your boyfriend!" Vexana begins conjuring an incapacitating spell but Tigreal stabs her straight to her gut with his sword and pulled it out cleanly. Surprisingly, the Necromancer was barely fazed, but was taken aback nonetheless. She unleashed numerous ghouls and specters, crowding Tigreal and restricting his breathing room. Behind her, Natalia slowly crept unnoticed and cut deep grooves on Vexana's back, making her scream in pain as she loses control of her puppets.

Natalia jumps out as Alice teleports, apparently in her Drinking State. Alice immediately launches three Blood Orbs, but instead of fleeing, Natalia stays still and rams her claw to the middle orb, making contact with Alice who was about to materialize. (This was a good move because if Natalia jumped to the other orbs, she would be mince meat to the Ravagers and Stalkers that were stampeding.)

"Try harder!" Natalia mutters. She flips and slashes at the Apocalypse Queen, trying to disorient her. Alice grunts as her Drinking State is no longer active. Miya joins the fight as she uses her bow to engage in melee combat, whacking Alice. She somersaults, kicking Alice's chin and nocks two arrows and aims for her eyes. Unfortunately, a Spitfire clutches her shoulders in mid-air and Miya is forced to struggle. A Strider eliminates the airborne threat and jumps towards Miya, saving her from the three other Spitfires closing in by sacrificing himself. Miya grows frustrated as she shoots her nocked arrows, hitting Alice's eyes.

(You're probably thinking that Alice wouldn't care about getting her eyes poked. Of course she would care, how would she fight?)

"AAAAUUUGGHHHH! DAMN YOU!" Alice unleashes her Drinking State again but Chou kicks her as soon as she does, sending her flying to a spinning Akai.

"Nuh uh, not today! Not today, not today! You hear me?!" Chou yells as he continued his flurry of kicks as Akai kept on spinning, forcing Alice into their makeshift grinder. After a few seconds, he forces his flaming fist into Alice's torso and he punched right through her body, his fist sticking out from the other side.

"Gross… Eugh…" Akai mumbles as he grabs Alice and slams her to a nearby rock, the frog in his hat spitting at her. "She won't get up easily, so-"

Akai stops talking and suddenly falls as Helcurt stings him from the back, paralyzing him. The Shadowbringer grins mischievously as he locks eyes with Chou.

" _You f-f-fight with fists? Heheh, y-y-you will not-"_

Chou ignored Helcurt as he swiftly punches him, sending him flying to the nearby wall. "Quit monologuing. Like, dude, you could just kill me-"

He dodges as Helcurt teleports behind him and swings his claw, which was coated in a neurotoxin. _"Okay, don't touch him. That simple. For the love of the Lords above, how will I deal with this bastard?"_

Meanwhile…

"Where are the others?" Estes asks.

"PREOCCUPIED!" Gatot yells in frustration as he throws the corpse of a Wretch to the Ravagers. "They keep on coming!"

Miya shoots from a safe distance with a fellow Sharpshooter. "Where's Johnson and the kids?!"

"Busy taking out the hordes on the east with Rafaela!" Estes says. "They will not respond properly if we get downed here!" He casts two runes and heals a pair of wounded Bastions who successfully bashed an incoming Stalker with their shields, but a Wretch quickly gobbles them up. Estes floats in the air and set his palm on the Wretch's forehead, drawing a symbol. He immediately retreats as the Wretch vibrates and bursts into viscera, clouding his vision. He doesn't see Zhask's lightning bolt striking him to the ground.

"You're a king, just like me," Zhask says, three Dominators focusing their lasers at Estes, who conjures a stasis field around himself. "I did think of making you my ally, but you and the others are _so_ thick-headed. Look at them. Foolish enough to help you win a war they can't."

Freya creeps up behind him but a Shadowbringer grabs the Valkyrie, forcing her out of the way. Zhask looks behind him and was surprised. "You really think you can just hide behind me and hope for something good?" Zhask points his staff at Freya to shoot a bolt of lightning, but Hylos blocks the strike with his scepter, hitting the Shadowbringer as well.

"Hayabusa!" Hylos calls. The ninja appears from the shadows, slashing at Zhask's body and distracting him. He slices upwards and throws shurikens at the alien. Upon landing, he slashes his torso and goes forward, eliminating the nearby Kastiyans that were going to respond. Zhask groans, trying to get up, but Hilda jumps and slams her foot into his chest, putting him to the ground. She runs and strikes Zhask's chest with her axe and proceeds to drag him around, but she trips as Zhask hits her legs with his staff. Hilda rolls towards Freya, Hylos and Hayabusa, now accompanied by Balmond as they notice that they were surrounded by Goblins.

"Saber, Alpha and Fanny?" Hayabusa asks, panting.

"Above," Freya says. "Lapu, Yi, Franco, Bane, above. Grock? Busy. Karina? With Zhao. Us? In terrible danger."

"Nice summary, let's chop our way out of here, shall we?" Hilda asks, charging to the nearest Goblin.

Meanwhile…

Tigreal pushes his way towards Vexana but Moskov teleports and kicks his shield, fazing the knight. He throws a dark spear which Tigreal easily blocked, but its power forces his back to a rock. The shield met with the rock by the spear, and Tigreal struggles to pull it out.

Rafaela intervenes and casts light projectiles on Vexana's puppets, extinguishing them. Karina weaves through the mass of enemies, executing them as she moves towards Vexana. Irithel goes from the side with Leo, launching explosive arrows from her crossbow to Vexana. Karrie races from the other side as she slams her lightwheels to the Necromancer, hoping to destroy the shield around her, but she gets caught in Vexana's grip as she sidesteps. Vexana was about to create an explosive spell but Irithel shoots her point blank on the face, breaking the shield.

"So, girl fight," Karina says, swinging her blades. "Any comments?" She speeds up to Vexana, who cast another grip, which she sliced easily. Rafaela casts a blinding light pulse so that Vexana would be dazed.

"Argh! Where are you?!" the Necromancer yelps, but Leo kicks the mage towards the rushing Karina as she angles her twin blades, slashing through Vexana, her body split. As her two halves tries to merge again, Karrie forcibly launches her lightwheels at the sinews, hoping to delay the regenerating process. (Like seriously, their weapons haven't been blessed with extra holy damage yet?)

"Faster, faster, faster… C'mon!"

Unfortunately, it failed as the sinews consumed almost no time in merging Vexana back into one piece. She shrieks, letting out a wave of dark energy, pushing the other heroes back. Each one now faced themselves against an enhanced Wretch.

At the other end, Zhao was now combatting Zhask to give Estes some time to regain consciousness. He feigns a poke and slashes upwards, nearly cutting Zhask in two. He spins his spear as the alien casts a lightning bolt. The charged projectile spins along with the spear and Zhao strikes the ground, knocking Zhask back.

"Phew… Now, where's Moskov?" Zhao eyes Moskov pinning Gatot to another rock with a dark spear. The marksman makes eye contact with Zhao and blinks out, appearing behind him. Zhao felt Moskov's presence and locked spears with him.

"Okay, seriously, stop pinning my friends to walls with your thumbtacks!" Zhao grunts as Moskov dodges his strikes. "You're losing!"

Roger appears next to Yun, shooting blunderbuss shells, but a Wretch whacks him to a different direction. Roger turns into a werewolf and leaps at the Wretch, clawing its hide. Ravagers began jumping towards Roger, snarling their teeth at him. The hunter wrestles one of them to the ground and turns the monster into puree.

Three Shadowbringers leaped at Zhao, clawing at him. The spearman grunts in pain as the wounds grew deeper. He shakes them off but Moskov shoots from above and pins Zhao's heel to the ground, rendering him immobile. Zhao howls, trying to remove the spear, but Moskov throws another one, pinning his arm. He could no longer move.

"Argh, goddamnit! Gord can't… Estes is still cold… Guys! Help!"

Moskov slowly walks towards Zhao, gripping his spear tightly. Vexana and Alice, who was now able to recover, appeared behind Moskov.

"Now's your chance, kill him!" Alice says in delight. "And let me drink his strong blood!"

Moskov slowly raises his spear, charging it. Zhao began to vocalize. "N-No! Moskov, don't! Is this what you wanted?! To kill me? It's much… Much more than that, I know! Y-Y-You won't kill-"

Vexana casts a grip on Zhao's mouth, silencing him. "Loudmouth. Don't waste time here, Moskov. Prolong and the enemy will fight back!"

Moskov was hesitant.

" _No matter what happens… I will understand you," Zhao says, placing his hand at Moskov's shoulder. "If you are lost, let me help you."_

" _B-But-"_

" _No matter what happens, I'll always be your brother from another mother, Skov. You can tell me what you want, what you longed for. If things turn bad, just tell me. You don't need to do crazy things, but if you do, I'll be there with you and your clan. Why? Because I promised you and many others. I won't let you down."_

" _T-Thank you…"_

" _No need, I'm being a friend. Now, tell me, what do you want most in your life?"_

"Do not just stand there! Kill him!" Alice eggs on. "Isn't this what you wanted? What you _longed_ for?!"

Moskov sees Zhao, slowly tearing up. He remembers it all. The memories begin to clash. Zhao was his friend. What was he doing? What should he do? Should he kill him? It was all pointless. What they were doing was pointless. Moskov didn't want to fight anymore. All he wanted was one thing, and he wanted it badly. He'd rather die than lose it.

The spear was fully charged, and he spoke.

"I long for peace in my heart."

In a split second, he turns around and throws the Spear of Destruction at Alice and Vexana, throwing them to the other side of the battlefield. The projectile pierces through multiple demons, and a few were killed because of the force winds acting on the spear. The spear travels straight to the Dark Lord, but it shatters instantly.

" _An absolute shame,"_ the spirit says, shaking what would be his head. He points towards Moskov from afar. _"Kill the traitor."_

A Wretch looms to Moskov, but he sets his hand behind him, pulling the spears that pinned Zhao telepathically. Moskov then throws one of them to the Wretch's skull and charges the other one before shooting it. The second spear landed the killing blow as it pierced through the thick hide of the Wretch and into a few Ravagers before stopping.

"M-Moskov…" Zhao says, struggling to get up. "I knew it… L-Little bastard…"

"Stay still," Moskov replies, making Zhao sit down. "The spears weakened you. Shake it off."

Alucard, Estes, Saber and Miya arrives into the scene, looking at Moskov with their weapons drawn.

"We late for the party?" Alucard asked.

"Apparently," Zhao answers. "So, yeah, what we hoped for came true, but I've become one with the thumbtacks, so…"

Estes generates a healing link, making the spearman heal. "Alucard, Saber, Miya, go with Moskov. Help the others. We need to make one final push." The former three nods as Moskov began charging another Spear of Destruction, now aimed above toward the mass of Spitfires and Hellbats beginning to crowd Bane's ships.

"Moskov…" Estes began. "Why-"

"I was wrong," Moskov replied. "This war… has no meaning to me, because… I took the wrong side. I'm consumed with hate, but no one will stop me… from correcting myself." He launches the Spear. As it hit the mass of flying demons, the Spear exploded, shrouding them into dark smoke, suffocating them. Saber flies into the black cloud and releases his swords, flying randomly around the space as the unaware demons get chopped. Alpha flies overhead with Beta and lands multitudes of carpet bombs, transforming the black mass into a hazy inferno. Saber exits unscathed, recalling back his golden blades coated in demon blood.

Alucard sprints and throws his greatsword, lodging itself onto a Stalker. He teleports to the greatsword and flips with it, the body of the demon still stuck to the weapon. He lands, forcing off a crowd of Morphlings, losing their momentum. He eyes Helcurt crawling towards him, so Alucard throws his greatsword towards Minotaur, who grabs it and launches it somewhere else.

"Bye!" Alucard taunts as Helcurt blinks out to reach him, but the hunter was gone. Bruno slides on the ground and leaps, kicking Helcurt square on the face, sending him away. Chou arrives and sees Bruno.

"Yo, I thought-"

"That I was keeping watch on Lolita and Layla? They're awake, look." Bruno points to an area and Chou sees Lolita pounding the head of a Wretch with her hammer, Layla providing cover fire. Kagura appears from their side and activates the umbrella, causing dozens of purple links to tether with the Ravagers. As they were pulled instantly, Nana summons a huge Dragon Cat, sending the surviving enemies airborne. Gossen throws a dagger and dashes towards a Ravager and shredding the last few with five more blades.

The assassin throws a random dagger, hitting a Shadowbringer. He dashes and recalls the other swords, slicing the demon with ease. He teleports and ducks as a Kastiyan shoots a lightning bolt at him. He then threw another set of daggers and launched a dagger at the Kastiyan, making it bleed. He was about to dash but Zhask appeared next to the fellow Kastiyan, summoning a Dominator. Gossen pretended to retreat, which made Zhask shoot more lightning at him, but Gossen dashes along with Johnson who was attempting to crash into the aliens. Gossen makes good work of the demon he was aiming at while Johnson crashes into Zhask. The alien commander gets stuck on Johnson's front.

"I command you to stop this vehicle! Now!" Zhask grunts.

"Okay." Johnson swerves and begins to speed up head first into Estes. Estes casts a static wall and Johnson crashes into it, turning back into his normal form. Zhask, now released, lay on the ground, trying to get up.

"M-Moskov!" Zhask called out. "Help me here!"

Sure enough, Moskov did arrive, but as he teleported towards Zhask, he outstretched his legs and kicked Zhask, breaking the static wall before pinning him with a dark spear. The trio left Zhask to utter curses as they changed their focus.

"You on our side?" Johnson asked the marksman. "Good! Makes it all better."

Meanwhile…

Bruno begins to face Helcurt, who slowly stood up. "Oh, it's the cat again. Dude, you really need to like, trim those nails. Or is that armor for your claws? Damn. Either way, I suggest you… uhm… get a pedicure? Or is that called a manicure? God, this is so confusing-"

The Protector dodges Helcurt's swipe and kicks a ball towards him. "Hey! Don't be pissed, I was being honest!"

" _SILENCE! You d-d-disrespect me… and my brothers in a-a-arms-"_

Helcurt stopped talking as soon as Bruno began to sprint away. He snarls and proceeds to charge, swallowing the light around him.

"Okay, great, Bruno! You've just signed your goddamn death wish. Run for your life!"

Bruno begins making big strides, dodging and weaving throughout the messy battlefield. He grabs Karrie's hand and jumps over a Wretch. He lets go of Karrie and she lands alongside a few of the Alaghat marksmen, making work out of the swarming Morphlings. Bruno begins to slide as Aurora casts a floor of ice to help him speed up. The Queen of Ice spots Helcurt and she encloses him in a dome of ice. Helcurt growls, scratching and breaking out. Aurora uses the ice shards from the destroyed dome by making them hover around her, acting as a shield.

"Okay… Okay, where's Estes? Can't last much longer…"

Bruno then gets cut off by a Shadowbringer. He kicks it off of his way but he meets two more. Even more began to crowd around him and Helcurt began to approach.

" _Nowhere to r-r-run."_

"I don't know, man. You should've eyed the portal behind you." Bruno high jumps as Gord releases a wide death beam at the Shadowbringers. Helcurt is forced to flee, the ends of the cloth he was wearing catching tongues of fire. As Gord stopped his assault, a Shadowbringer recklessly enters the portal and goes into the citadel. Estes closes the portal too late as the Shadowbringer gets in easily.

It snarls ferociously before leaping towards Gord, but a Royal Guard swings his hammer and makes contact, crushing the demon to a pulp. "Nasty."

Helcurt, wounded, sees Moskov abetted with Zhao and a few other heroes.

" _Traitor! Thinking h-h-he can turn his back to us without a s-s-second thought? I w-w-w-will show them!"_

Meanwhile…

Fanny stops fighting in the air and descends below, spinning with her blades like a lethal top, shredding the grounded demons. She eyes a red orb floating towards Eudora. Fanny quickly launches her cables and zooms toward the orb and slashes at it. Alice materializes from the orb, her left arm missing. Before she could grow another one, Eudora electrocutes her, immobilizing Alice so that she could not heal properly.

"A waste of potential, Eudora!" Alice shrieks, trying to get up. "You could've done greater things!"

"I already have." Eudora creates another lightning bolt, which Alice easily blocks with her wings, but Fanny uses this opening and carves diagonally with her blades. She then begins to spin them vertically like a saw, constantly wounding Alice and applying pressure as Eudora prevents her from healing. Fanny slowly cries out in rage and makes a huge downward strike, severing Alice's other arm. Her left arm began reforming, and Fanny launched her cables and sliced Alice as she zoomed, landing on Vexana. Fanny regains balance mid-air, shoots her cables to the ground and stabs Vexana with her blades. She escapes before Vexana could launch another ghostly grip, and Fanny began making the same move again.

"How you like that?! Huh?! HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?!" Fanny growls. "I can do this all the time if I have to!" She sidesteps as Vexana lets out another wave of dark energy, but Freya uses her shield to bash Vexana from the back, pushing her. Fanny tethers to the ground and zooms forward, slicing Vexana again and striking Freya's shield, causing both her and Vexana to fly off. Fanny uses this momentum to slice her down to the ground one last time before going back up with Grock, barely escaping Alice.

Freya backs away as Vexana advances with Alice, blocking their spells and pushing them off. Alice begins to prepare a blood trap for Freya but Cyclops launches his hourglass with such force that it made Alice have a concussion. Vexana looks behind and gets whacked by Nana's umbrella.

"Stupid kids," Vexana grumbles. She raises her hands to cast an explosive spell but Harley arrives, confusing Vexana with his floating cards. He shoots a ring of fire and he cards burst aflame, beginning to hurt the Necromancer. The ring implodes and Vexana was scorched.

"Woohoo! I've wanted to do that for so long!" Harley cheers. "Hey, Cyclops! Want dibs on Alice?"

Cyclops responds by making small interstellar spheres that rotate around him. It sought Alice and they exploded onto her, pushing her down again. Freya leaps and brings her sword down, but Alice blocks it with her hands. The Valkyrie pulls up and brings it down again, the shield providing enough force to break Alice's arms and stab her. Alice enters her Drinking State once again. Freya jumps off and gives a wide opening for Zhao to stab Alice from above, as if he was pole vaulting, and kicks Vexana as he lands. He pulls out the spear and swings it around, protecting himself. He waits for Freya to escort Cyclops, Harley and Nana out of the way and he stabs Vexana without looking back. He slashes, cutting Vexana's abdomen and into Alice's face. Alice begins to leap on Zhao but Sun intervenes and slams his cudgel to her face, sending her off. She launches a Blood Orb as she goes in mid-air and teleports into Sun, ripping him apart without mercy. She is shocked as Sun disappeared in a cloud of white smoke, and the real Monkey King bashes her skull to the ground.

"Think twice." Sun launches a golden cudgel into Vexana, creating another doppelganger that began to combat the Necromancer. Alice screams in frustration and attacks Sun, but alas, it was just another doppelganger and the real Sun was now fighting Vexana. She blindly charges again and was intercepted by Moskov. She gets impaled by a dark spear jutting out of her shoulder.

"Traitor! Traitor! You will pay for this!" Alice shrieks. "By the time I have you, I will-"

Zhao slices Alice's face with his spear so that she couldn't talk. "Loudmouth."

Moskov teleports but Helcurt catches him with his claws, throwing him off. The marksman regains his footing and shoots aimlessly, nicking the Shadowbringer. Helcurt growls and sprints again, but Clint arrives, launching a steel trap and tying Helcurt's legs.

"Get outta here, man! I'll take care of these little critters!" Clint orders Moskov. "Hey, boys! Let's clear them out! One last push and we are gonna score the gravy!"

Moskov retreats, trying to find a good place to lay low in the battlefield, but everywhere around, the demons began to stop paying attention to the army and laid their sights on him, pouncing at Moskov. He dashes around and meets Alucard fighting a Wretch. He throws a dark spear and conjoins the Wretch's front legs with it, forcing it to roar in pain. Alucard slashes his greatsword inside the upper jaw of the demon, finally killing it.

"Thanks. It was enhanced, so it was an absolute pain," Alucard says to Moskov. The marksman stared at the growing spikes and scales on Alucard's right arm.

"You should… consider… knowing when to use it. I am willing to sacrifice lives, just so you can live for the 7th."

"W-What?" Alucard's instinct made him sense Helcurt leaping towards him. He ducks as Helcurt nearly clamped his jaws on Alucard's left arm. Instead, he clamped on Moskov's left leg.

"Moskov!" Alucard goes forward but Helcurt began to swallow the light, so he couldn't see. He felt multiple arms pulling him away from Moskov. Dozens of Shadowbringers and Wretches began to emerge around him. "Argh, don't you make me do this!" He spins, clearing a wave of Shadowbringers clamoring towards him. He jumps and lands on a Wretch and stabs his greatsword to its back, making him gain control of it. Alucard maneuvers, using his weapon like a joystick to make the Wretch plow through the demons. He was too far away from Moskov.

"Alu! Where's Moskov?!" Zhao shouts. Alucard points at the black area in front. "WHAT?! WAIT!"

Estes notices this and tries to conjure a portal toward Moskov, but Alice confronts him, hindering his travel.

"You will see what we do to those who betray us, Estes, so will they!"

"He didn't betray you. He did what he wished. He has no master but his soul!" Estes interjects. "He is not afraid to die for his own cause. Let him be!"

"Oh, I will, alright, but will they?!" Alice motions towards Zhask and Vexana already going towards Moskov. "I will show you!"

"No!" Estes encases Alice in a stasis ward and phases through it, trying to get to Moskov.

Zhao carries his bloody spear and sprints towards the black area but a wave of Morphlings began to flood towards him, and he was nearly buried in the mass.

"N-NO! M-MOSKOV! GET OUT OF THERE!" Zhao yells. "GET OUT!" Miya arrives and tries to shoot down the Morphlings putting Zhao down, but they were too many for her. Hylos casts a pathway, aided by his fellow Centaurs, but a Wretch blocks their path, forcing them to fight it.

All the other heroes were preoccupied.

Estes, knowing that he would be too far, conjures a portal from the citadel. Gord throws a projectile that splits into smaller, explosive projectiles upon hitting the ground. It was enough to provide a clear path, but the Ravagers responded immediately.

They were intent to kill Moskov.

"Moskov! Get out of there or you will die!" Alucard yells. He loses control of the Wretch and he falls under its corpse. He grunts as he put his greatsword on his demonic arm. He easily carves through its body and shoots a large fission wave, toppling nearly a hundred demons. He throws his greatsword at a Wretch and teleports, racing towards the marksman.

"Goddamnit, I can't see Helcurt!" Miya exclaims. "Zhao, h-hold on!"

"M-MOSKOV! GET OUT OF THERE! G-G-" Zhao could no longer be heard as the Morphlings entirely covered him, muffling his voice. Minotaur appears but was being pushed away by a few Stalkers. He plows through them only to get stung by their neurotoxins. He slows and bellows in frustration.

Saber notices the scene below. "Franco! Bane! Shoot your cannonballs there. The situation has escalated!" A pirate angles the cannon towards the black zone, but a Spitfire dives and begins to claw at him. Saber jumps and takes it down, but the pirate was heavily wounded.

Moskov tries to dash out but he becomes surrounded. A Shadowbringer leaps on him and claws his arm, digging into his skin. He charges his spear with his free arm but Zhask blasts him with a lightning bolt, pushing him to the ground. Vexana creates another explosive trap which detonates on Moskov.

"Urgh… C-Can't… Mo-o-ove…" Moskov mutters. He tries to stand but the Dominator's laser pushes him back down. Helcurt pounces on him and hacks him mercilessly.

" _Y-Y-Y-You are a disgrace t-t-t-to us! Y-Y-You side w-w-with them?!"_ The Shadowbringer uses his tail and injects Moskov with poison. And no, not just any poison.

It's the one that kills.

"I side… with… myself."

"Then you leave us no choice," Vexana answers. She casts an explosive spell as Helcurt stings Moskov even more.

" _No matter what happens… I will understand you."_

Meanwhile, the Morphling mass covering Zhao began to glow. Miya sees this and becomes worried. "Z-Zhao?!"

She frantically looks around. "H-Help! SOMEONE! ZHAO IS STUCK!"

" _I will always be your brother from another mother, Skov."_

"Balmond! Zhao is trapped!" Miya tells the orc. He swings his axe and tries to hack it down, but it was no use. The Morphlings appear faster than them killing the mass.

" _I promised you and many others. I won't let you down."_

Alice breaks free from the stasis ward and combats Estes, who brings Argus out from the citadel through a portal. The fallen angel flies towards Moskov but was surrounded by Spitfires and Hellbats. He slices through the demonic flock, hoping to reach it in time. The cerulean protodrake flies with him, coating the sky with black fire, giving more space.

"Z-Zhao… I'm s-s-sorry…"

"NO! MOSKOV!" Argus calls out. "DON'T YOU GIVE UP ON US! WE'RE COMING!" He could see Moskov being pummeled, Helcurt injecting more poison, surprised by the marksman's resilience.

" _Moskov…"_

Hylos could hear a cry from within the mass of Morphlings. A ray of light began to form above it.

"-OV! MOSKOV!"

" _We are brothers in arms. And no one…_

 _Can tell us otherwise."_

The Morphlings exploded, turning into ash. Alucard sees a hologram of a dragon descending towards the mass as Zhao began to run with unparalleled speed, his whole body on fire. A trail of orange flames left by his feet scorched the demons trying to catch him. The dragon then merges with Yun Zhao, and his armor began to… grow.

Silver and gold bits of armor slowly formed, creating an overlapping pattern of intricate detail. The shoulderguards became larger, arcing into spikes similar to that of a claw. Zhao's helmet became bigger, following the same armor pattern, while his spear grew gold trimmings and accents, and bore a fiery aura that drove the demons away. But he doesn't seem to notice it as he ran desperately.

" **DON'T… YOU DARE… TOUCH HIM!"**

He jumps, angling himself to stab the unawares Alice. Zhao successfully pierces her abdomen and his spear bursts into flames. Alice screams in pain, flailing her arms, as if… the fire was actually hurting her. Zhao proceeds to carve through the Ravagers and Morphlings fixated on him, like a sickle to wheat. He didn't mind Alice's body that was flailing around on the tip of his spear. He encounters a Wretch that was stampeding at him. Zhao jumps at it and corkscrews through its mouth, and in a flash, bursts from the other end of the Wretch, the monster burning into ash. He slashes at a Stalker one last time before Alice could free herself from his spear, and her scarred body flies like a meteor through the black zone. Vexana, Zhask and Helcurt stops torturing Moskov and sees her body lying a few yards from them.

"V-V-V-VEXANAAAAA!" Alice wailed. "IT BURNS! IT BURNS! IT BURNS, HELP MEEEE!"

Vexana looked to the opposite direction and saw Zhao staring at them, his eyes literally burning.

" _Moskov… what have they done to you?!"_

He didn't say a word as he rushed through them. Zhask, panicking, summons a Dominator in front of him, which immediately shot its lightning bolt at Zhao. He deflects the beam by spinning his spear around, creating a shield. Zhask makes the Dominator grow larger, further focusing the beam. Zhao screams in rage as he stopped blocking and took the full force of the beam. He ran unimpeded to Zhask and swung his spear, whacking him to Vexana who was trying to create an entrapment spell. The end of the spear touched the ground and made golden sparks as Zhao set his eyes on Helcurt.

" _This p-p-p-power… IMPOSSIBLE!"_

Helcurt swallowed the light again and tries to escape, but Zhao throws his spear and impales Helcurt's shoulderblade to the ground. The demon howls, trying to use his free arm to get the spear off, but it was too late. Zhao pulls the spear (while dragging Helcurt with it, like barbecue) and forces it upward, splitting the Shadowbringer's top half into two. As the wound regenerated, Zhao stabs Helcurt's leg and nails it to the rocky ground. Helcurt screams in a garbled voice as Zhao punches his face to the ground with his flaming fists in quick succession, rivaling Chou.

" **LISTEN HERE… SCUMBAG!"** Zhao began, connecting his fist into Helcurt's chest, searing it. **"DON'T… YOU DARE… HURT. MY. FRIENDS! YOU HEAR ME?!"**

With every word was a strike. Zhao stands up and slams his pointed boot on Helcurt. He lifts his leg swiftly, pulling Helcurt along with it. The Shadowbringer tries to claw at Zhao's armor, but his arms began to char from the flames. The spearman pulls Helcurt's body off and chucks it to a rock. Before Helcurt could stand, Yun hurriedly grabs his spear and stabs the demon again, cracking the rock. He punches the Shadowbringer's face into a bloody pulp. Helcurt groans, weak and battered as Zhao continued on his assault.

" _T-Too… S-S-S-Strong… M-My L-Lord…"_

Zhao gets yanked by Vexana with her grip but he breaks free from the bonds almost instantaneously. He recalls the spear back to him as he swung it around. The necromancer tries to create a shield but it breaks immediately. The spearman cuts her legs off, and Vexana shrieks.

"NO! THIS IS NOT-"

Zhao didn't let her finish as he stomps her face before stabbing her right eye out. He yells in rage as he drags the spear, cutting the ground with Vexana in tow.

" **DON'T YOU TOUCH THEM EVER AGAIN!"** He throws her towards Helcurt and the two collided, collapsing to the ground. Zhask hastily summons another Dominator but Alpha arrives, shooting Zhask down with Beta. Argus kills the Dominator and anchors himself towards the alien commander. A few Kastiyans appear but Alucard jumps in and slays them before they could touch Zhao. Saber releases his swords to apply crowd control to the Ravagers and Hellhounds that were pouring in. Layla and Lolita began clearing the Spitfires from the air with Gossen. Franco was now able to control the skies above with Bane and Yi Sun Shin.

Meanwhile, Zhao then throws his spear and impales both Vexana and Helcurt. Alice teleports towards Zhao but he prepares a punch, knocking her to the ground. Alice tries to enter her Drinking State but Rafaela blinds her. Zhao grabs Alice and chucks her into the sky to an incoming mortar shell from the kingdom's walls. She falls to the ground, her body covered in soot and scars. She extends her tattered wings and soars away.

"Blind rage…" Alice mutters, wiping the blood trickling from her lips. "I didn't expect… this is harder than I thought."

Behind her, Zhao pulls off the spear, and Helcurt swallows the light around him, now being able to flee as a Wretch blocked Zhao's path. The spearman hacked its legs and stabbed it numerous times as Vexana tries to escape as well. Unfortunately, Hayabusa catches sight of her and teleports, slicing her down. Vexana doubles back with Zhask and begins to retreat, but Eudora electrocutes the two of them. Gatot leaps high into the air and punches them out of the sky, letting them go.

Zhao begins to calm down, the aura around him dissipating. His new armor and weapon slowly dematerialized back into his default clothes as his knees buckled.

"Y-Yun!" Hayabusa began, racing with Kagura to reach him. "Are you alright? Saber told me you're experiencing fatigue-"

"Skov… W-Where is Skov?" Zhao heaves out. "B-Bring me to M-Moskov…"

He looks behind him and sees Estes desperately trying to cast more healing runes.

"W-Why isn't he healing?! Those are advanced spells you're making-"

"There's too much poison," Estes tells Argus. "I can't drain them out. His heart could fail by the second."

"Maybe my blood can-"

"You can't, Argus! He's corrupted! What would your blood do? It could worsen him!"

Nana and Cyclops tries to take a peek at Moskov but they grew squeamish and looked away.

"SO WHAT? YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA?!" Miya exclaims. "CAN'T YOU JUST-"

"NO, I CANNOT USE ALL OF MY RUNES!" Estes answers. "His body can combust, for there would be too much magic working on him. This is the best I can do!" He enhances his spells when he hears Zhao.

"S-Skov?! Where's Moskov?" Akai asks around, pushing the other heroes off. "Where's- HOLY SWEET PUPPIES WHAT ON EARTH?!" Zhao pushes Akai and sees Moskov, and he gasps.

How can I further elaborate this? Moskov is like… should've been double dead up to this point.

Okay, try to imagine this. A body. Bleeding due to many holes on the body. The blood is of a different color because most of it is no longer blood. Your limbs starting to have gangrene due to the poison in your system. An eye of yours is virtually non-existent from its socket. You're missing a leg, and your body is charred.

Yep. That's Moskov. I could barely recognize him.

" _Wait, you could barely_ recognize _him?"_

Yeah, I mean, there is a picture of him in the files, specifically in that condition, but I recommend you DON'T see it. Seriously. Almost made me hurl. Almost.

Anyway… Zhao kneels and cradles Moskov's body, the fluids drenching his clothes.

"M-Moskov? What in…"

"Z-Z-Zhao…"

"Hold still, Estes will-"

"N-No…"

Saber lands next to Zhao. "Blood lost: 91.3%. Gangrene accumulation: 29.8%. Body charring: 56.5%. Estimated time of expira-"

"NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Zhao yells at Saber. "L-Listen, Skov… Don't you die on me, you understand?! Don't you die-"

"I'm s-s-s-sorry-"

"NO! NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE! YOU'RE NOT…" Tears fell from his face. Zhao was shivering, tired. "N-No… P-Please… Don't… I don't want to let you go, please…"

Moskov smiles at him, his face strained. "T-Thank y-you… For understanding… I owe y-you… m-my…"

"M-M-Moskov?" Zhao asks. The other heroes around him were shocked, their hands covering their agape mouths. "What d-do you owe me? What? Moskov?"

Alucard, baffled, slowly approaches Zhao. "Yun-"

"NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! He's not dead, I know! H-He's not dead, he's not dead, he's not dead, I know! He can live, we can s-s-s-still-"

Miya races towards Zhao and hugs him. "Zhao… it's… it's alright."

"N-n-n-n-no! NO! M-M-Moskov, w-w-wake up! Don't you die on me… D-Don't you die on me, or else, I swear…"

Yun babbled incoherently as he collapsed in a crying heap, Miya trying to comfort him, but she was crying as well. Nearly half of the heroes around was teary-eyed, while the others who weren't hung their heads low.

"G-G-Goddamnit… Estes! D-DO SOMETHING!"

But the king couldn't answer. What would he tell Zhao? That he can do nothing? Estes tried everything. Rafaela was aiding him as well, but Moskov was just… gone. It was too much. They cannot resurrect people from the dead. They just can't. There were rules of nature to follow, only to be broken when the time comes.

Now wasn't the time.

"Damn it… S-Skov, please! PLEASE! W-w-whyyyy?! WHY?!"

He looks up at the bleak sky. And after so long, it began to rain.

" **MOSKOOOOOOOOVVVVV!"**


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: The Reservoir**

Sorry for such a huge delay. It's been long since I've had the time to write.

And sorry for being kind of cruel to how I further made Moskov's death dramatic, like a Walking Dead character death. Okay, maybe not like The Walking Dead but you know what I'm trying to say.

I also didn't realize that by the time I finished rushing the whole chapter, I've written about 18,000 words there. 18,000 words. Like, bro. I was so into finishing the chapter not knowing that I nearly broke my 10,000 word record by writing a chapter with nearly twice the count.

But the file for the 5th day was super extensive, so it's somewhat reasonable…? Anyway, things have changed drastically ever since Moskov got… murdered? I doubt _murdered_ would be the right term, seeing how Zhask, Vexana and Helcurt nearly made Texas Chainsaw Massacre a joke just by a single execution of a character.

Also, Zhao finally unlocked his powers. Niiiiiiiice. Well, it would probably make him go bananas as time goes by, but we shall see. The future isn't set, though I know what to write for the Readers who are still eagerly waiting for an update from me.

Oh, yeah, and there will be deaths, too.

And now, I land this update in haste…

But I think we can make at least 15,000 words here. Because crap really goes down… Hard. Like, really hard. Like, trying-to-figure-out-how-to-nerf-Harith hard.

Anyway, this chapter, along with the file it's referring to, starts with a dream.

Remember what I told you about dreams? 90% of the time, dreams are bad mojo in literature. It's like that 'Until Dawn' moment when you pick up a totem and it shows how a character will die if you don't do an unknown specific action or whatnot.

But the 10%? Usually neutral. And the good ones are like, 0.00000000000000001%. There's probably like, a higher chance of getting struck by lightning or winning the lottery.

And Alucard hit the 90%.

" _The Spear… has defected. A bad sign."_

" _My Lord, we didn't know this would happen-"_

The spirit turns towards Alice, its ethereal eyes glowing. _"If it weren't for your carelessness, you would've dispatched him earlier! He has caused moderate damage to our forces alone, and none of the heroes have suffered tremendous injuries!"_

" _Then why not kill them yourself?"_ Helcurt questions. _"Y-Y-You know how strong… they are! And they are b-b-beginning to read our t-tactics!"_

" _You doubt my plan, Shadowbringer?"_

" _N-N-N-Nooo… I am m-m-merely concerned!"_

The Dark Lord scoffs. _"I plan to kill them all myself. I am still considerably weak in this state. Their spirits have proven to be resilient. Absorbing their lives will strengthen me. For every kill, I grow stronger. Which is why I asked you to weaken them further! Look, even the fallen angel can fend off against the four of you! Just imagine the possibility of you falling beneath his feet as he returns to his real self!"_

" _My Lord-"_

" _Bah! Nevertheless, do what must be done."_ The spirit's anger ebbs. _"Is the Leviathan ready?"_

A loud, resounding growl resounded in the cave. Vexana replied, _"Yes… Zhask has made it stronger."_

" _But the beast will fall by the hands of the virus that lives within it. Most likely, Estes will try and destroy its heart. Though, that is rather predictable. All I am worried about is the boy."_

" _Alucard?!"_ Zhask exclaims. _"That nuisance has disrupted our momentum!"_

" _Well then… it's official. We disrupt theirs. One small tumble of a domino is all that is needed to break the chain."_ A deafening roar resonates around the cave, and the head of the Leviathan looms.

In the background, small bits and pieces of obsidian dust began to coalesce, forming miniscule fragments.

" _And when the chain is broken will we shatter their will."_

Alucard wakes up in a jolt, rubbing his hair. Ruby was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, hey, you're awake! Don't worry too much, the demons aren't around yet. If you were to ask, the others aren't awake, though a few of the foreigners are with Estes right now to discuss something."

He nods groggily and tries to sit up, crossing his legs. "I know what the Dark Lord is doing."

Ruby raises her eyebrows. "We all know what the Dark-"

"No, not that. I mean, why he hasn't attacked yet. I saw it in a dream."

"What do you mean?"

"He is not powerful enough. He was faking his strength. His spirit may have been too volatile in the first place, so lashing out at us immediately may backfire… But Ruby, he wants our souls. It's where his strength comes from, remember? If we die, the Dark Lord plans to be there by that instant to suck our energies out."

It took a while for Ruby to understand the logic. "So, that's why Vexana couldn't just transform us into zombies?"

"I mean, she can transform everyone else but not… us. We're reserved for the Dark Lord. That's it. He's more than confident that the Leviathan will destroy our defenses before tomorrow. I've seen its silhouette in my dream. It's enormous. I doubt Grock can even _restrain_ it."

Ruby sighs, slightly touching her neck. "You know, I could barely think about that, now that Zhao is… in distress."

Alucard perks. "H-Hey, is he alright? Has he gotten over it? Ever since Moskov died, he hasn't been in the field. We're lucky there were only a few stray demons out there at that time, but we will need him in the upcoming hours. I don't want him to just sulk around a corner."

"I think he is doing the last thing you just said."

"Crap. Then we're toast," the Demon Hunter mutters. "I think it's wise for him to stay back, since his power… it's been unlocked. It's not just his anger or adrenaline fueling that transformation-"

"Lunox?"

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I'm growing afraid because nothing else is happening to me or you, or the others like Argus or Estes."

Ruby gives a look of sarcastic disbelief. "You think so? Look at your arm. The growth has now reached around your shoulder. Your body is next. The demons sure know what to do, don't they?"

"Sadly, that's the case. Though, I hope Miya can help Zhao out of his misery. All of this… it's starting to grow dreadful."

Suddenly, the door opens.

"Hey, you're awake?"

"Yeah, Chou, thanks for letting us stay here," Alucard answers. "The Hunters' camp is littered with injured and dead. Smells like a dirty morgue."

"I know, right? Jeez, I almost feel like I can smell it from here. Anyway, you need to get out right now. Estes is rounding us up."

The three said nothing as they bolted into action, preparing themselves for the next clash. Alucard grabs his greatsword with his demonic arm, and the weapon calmly glowed with red energy.

"Okay, have faith. We can do this. We can do this. I know we can. Give or take 40 more hours. I trust you."

The greatsword's energy turned from a deep scarlet to a serene light blue. Alucard was slightly puzzled by this phenomena, and kept the greatsword on his back.

He steps outside to see dozens of civilians out on the streets, grabbing weapons and fortifying their homes with everything, from makeshift wooden barricades to wards and holy sacramentals for luck. Alucard sees a kid learning how to reload a pistol, aiming at a dummy that resembled a Ravager. As he catches up towards Ruby and Chou, Alucard sees Fanny zoom above the infrastructure, passing by an unmanned Tesla tower. Two of Bane's ships, now fully repaired, begins to hover upwards to join the fleet. Johnson drove past the trio, delivering what seemed to be a large propeller.

"Yi Sun Shin thought of putting the turtle ships up in the sky," Chou informed. "Not a bad idea, since our worst enemy as of today is live and kicking in the air, though we haven't seen it yet."

"Who's with the Gem?" Ruby asks. "Is it Gord?"

"No," Chou shakes his head. "It's supposed to be Aurora, but for the meantime, it's Estes."

"Estes?" Alucard scrunches his eyebrows. "It means the going gets tough."

"Well, Gord is with the mages and the Archimedians to boost up their magic, the Sharpshooters are now applying poison in their ammo, and Hilda just got a new set of royal armor WHILE I HAVE NOTHING!"

"Don't you have nunchucks?" Ruby asked. "Wait… oh, you lost it in Eruditio."

"Yep. We're screwed."

Meanwhile…

"Any updates about the battlefield?" Estes asks Aurora. "Do things feel different?"

"Our shadows are often misplaced," Argus answers, clenching his hands. "Cast shadows are not accurate with the light ray vectors. It rained yesterday, but the ground is already dry. Not entirely barren, but dry. After an hour of thunderstorms, the sun suddenly appeared, brighter than usual, until slowly ebbing to its current intensity."

Aurora closes her eyes. "The winds move to and fro, both calm and frenzied. The dormant are nervous, the crazed are unrelenting. And the so called 'change' is starting to press further to the others. More enhanced versions of the demons are spawning, growing smarter and much more resilient. The relief, however, is that Alice and her companions will be delayed in their direct assault due to what they sustained yesterday."

"The poison of theirs… is growing painful!" Minotaur complains, pointing at his scars. "I will endure, but it will get to me eventually. Estes, are you sure about staying with the Gem?"

"Yes, since I cannot move unless the Leviathan is present. I expect the Dark Lord to make an indirect move against me and my attempts to kill it before it can breach the walls. But the fallout would be devastating nonetheless. The cyborgs have calculated the best-case scenario. It still leads to the loss of more than 70% of the army and with Grock severely injured. If I can minimize more casualties after I am done slaying the airborne threat, I will have to stay with the Gem again."

The siren blares, though its noise has slowly deteriorated. The constant use of the sound systems have degraded their performance, and since their discovery of demons often entering the whole kingdom proper and tampering infrastructure, the security has been doubled for every area.

"Beckoned once more," Estes mumbles. "Argus, you watch and review the battlefield before you join Lancelot and Odette, along with my select crew. Aurora, you join the others. Once the Leviathan appears, I will force you to recall back here and stay with the Gem. Do not leave until I return when the situation escalates in this manner."

Aurora nods in response, and enters Estes' conjured portal with Argus. Minotaur joins but Estes halts him. The portal disappears and the Royal Guard swiftly fixes their regular positions with coordinated execution.

"Minotaur, I uncovered something last night, regarding the labyrinth."

"What is it?" he asked. "There are secrets that I can disclose-"

"Apparently so." Estes slowly walks down the throne's steps towards Minotaur, concerned. "You weren't the only guardian back then, were you?"

Minotaur sighed. "You found out."

"What happened to them? Why were they wiped out? I held no official record about their disappearance."

"It is… difficult to explain."

"Oh, Minotaur. We have a fallen angel, a specter of a possibly hyperversal entity walking in the midst, and many other things, whether big or small, that have baffled us ever since we underwent these operations, and you call your past difficult to explain? I will understand, in some way or another, so elaborate."

"Estes, it wasn't just some plague or massacre, it was a phenomenon! Have you ever wondered how the Twilight Orb came into the labyrinth's possession?"

Estes stopped in his tracks. "How?"

"It didn't arrive delivered by the doorstep by some bystander, nor did we uncover it from a murky cave. No, the Orb itself manifested within the heart of the forsaken maze! Its energy has lashed out with ferocity as it forms, and the whole place shook! Walls began to crumble and the foliage burned. Blinding light and endless black, with fire melting and ice raging. Yes, you heard me. Fire melting and ice raging. It was incomprehensible chaos! That same chaos is the energy that has kept the universe into what it is. It has killed my brethren for its effect is spontaneous. They couldn't contain the force. I was able to make it out of the labyrinth alive, but I couldn't rescue them. It was too late. The other people, the other guardians… all lost… Except-"

"For Aldous."

"You know little about him, Estes, I assure you. He was one of the best human guardians before the event, and after. The energy, it didn't kill him. It fused with him. He grew a powerful arm that can obliterate opponents. I tried to reason with him, but he… He was losing sanity. He attempted to kill me. He was just too powerful. He stayed in the heart of the labyrinth, killing every intruder. There would be no escape. He would hear you as you enter. He proclaimed to be the 'steward of creation', because whatever he thought he was protecting breathed a new, destructive life into him. But there was one entity he mutually favored. Some creature named 'Belerick'. Apparently once a human… But Estes, many were after that Orb."

"I know, Minotaur. I haven't forgotten about Selena. Karina hasn't forgotten as well, though she has now lived with it. But do enlighten me. What went down there?"

Minotaur shook his head in disagreement. "Belerick stayed. He… He was Lunox' trusted friend. He lived, I do not know how, but he lived just so he can meet her or protect her, as long as it's for Lunox. Selena ambushed the labyrinth. Aldous and Belerick fought with all their might, but they were overwhelmed. To end it all, Aldous used all of his might to destroy Selena. All of his power built within his fist… It levelled the labyrinth, geographically. It killed everyone. But the heart of the maze, along with the Orb? Hmph. It still stood, unscathed, unscarred by malice or mistreatment. When I returned did I see the aftermath. I took pity for the two and I stayed. I said not a single word about them, until you and the others came did I think of disclosing the past to you, but I let you find out yourself."

The hybrid sits down on the steps, sighing. "Estes, Lunox is just… too much to handle. Trust me. Too many enemies, not just Selena. Countless others fell victim to the Twilight Orb's power. And remember, Alucard will merge with the Gem's power. If we fail-"

"We will not fail, Minotaur."

"But what if we do?!" he bellows. "No one knows for sure. The Lords of Order will-"

"We will not fail! Do you understand?!" Estes exclaims. "We will not, okay? We won't back away. There… There is still time. As long as one of us lives. As long as someone can carry a sword, we will endure."

Meanwhile…

"Don't forget your wand, Odette," Lancelot reminds.

"It's no wand, silly. It's the family scepter. Though, wand is alright. Hmm, where is the group Estes told us about?"

"They are outside. I've seen them work. They are quite skilled, not going to lie. They have thought of several backup plans. This is going to work. The explosives are set to detonate in the accurate time. Estes has seen the layout and framework of the Reservoir. Trust me and the others on this, and we can get away without a scratch."

A makeshift portal is conjured next to them, and Argus steps out with his bloody sword, apparently not glowing.

"Are you two ready?" the fallen angel asks. "Pardon the dripping blood. I had to rescue a couple of Balmond's orcs that were trapped by a few Reapers. Anyway, I have seen the battlefield. Many creatures are advancing towards the kingdom, though none have looked back."

"No demon is going to look for us?" Lancelot asks.

"We will be fine when we reach the Reservoir, but once we initiate the detonation sequences will we be surrounded. At this point, Estes cannot help. Despite our being incognito, I believe we are alright for now."

But beneath Argus' mind, a warning rang. He remembered what Rafaela told him last night.

" _They may be family. They may be strong, but their hearts falter when one of them dies. What happens if the prophecy becomes true, that the two die before they can make it back here? Beware, Argus. We don't want any more mental breakdowns."_

"Hey, Argus, are you okay?" Odette asks. "I was asking if you spoke with Freya."

"Freya? Was she looking for me?"

"Yup," Lancelot replies. "I'm pretty sure she's still inside the kingdom waiting for you before we leave. You can go look for her since we still have a lot of time."

Argus nods and turns around, exiting the compound. He looks around for the Valkyrie, and he spots her flying down towards him. She landed on her two feet.

The fallen angel notes Freya's new armor, courtesy of both the drastic 'change' Lunox' effect was giving out and also of Estes and the Royal Guard. It covered more of her body with gold and silver alloys, but she was still swift enough to ram through the enemy lines.

"H-Hey!" Freya said, panting. "Where were you? Estes said you were inspecting the whole area."

"I was. I checked up Lancelot and Odette before we leave. We still have an hour. Anyways… why did you look for me? Shouldn't you be with Hylos or Hayabusa or Yi Sun Shin? You're lucky the field is clear."

"I just wanted to talk to you before… Before hell breaks loose, again. I'm worried, Argus. I saw you last night, backed up against the wall. What happened?"

"Nothing happened," Argus denies. "Maybe you were-"

"I'm not hallucinating, Argus. I saw it myself. A Valkyrie's vision is never at fault. Tell me. Are you hurt?"

Argus couldn't say anything. Freya was another walking lie detector. What would he say? Straight up that his sword was already going against him?

"I'm tired, Freya. I'm trying what I can."

"You don't have to keep secrets from me, Argus. If there's one person you can still cling to, it's me. I know you. You almost killed me, remember?"

"Unintentionally," Argus added. "Not of my own will."

"But your own will is now the one that is killing you! Your sword is rejecting your thoughts and you're growing weaker. That's the only change happening to you, and nothing else! The Lords have said nothing concerning you, and the others are scared that… T-That… you won't…"

"Turn back?"

Freya shakes her head and suddenly embraces Argus in a tight hug, her arms wrapped around him. The angel was shocked by this action, but proceeded to follow.

"Argus… I know you're afraid you can't save the two. I know you're afraid that Tigreal or… or someone else would hate you if that happens. Just… Just promise me, that if you do fail, don't lose hope. Remember that you tried everything to get to them. Okay?"

"Freya-"

"Shut it. Just promise me. Try to bring them home, but if you can't, don't be afraid."

Freya pulls away and spreads her wings, proceeding to fly off into the field, accompanied by Saber. Argus grew confused as to what Freya really meant. He grips his blade, silently praying to himself that the mission would not fail.

"What did you tell Argus?" Saber asked.

"Nothing," Freya lied. "Just told him good luck."

"I see. Even with him accompanying the lovers, the mission has a low success rate. Though, I won't blame him if he comes back without them."

"Why?"

"Why? It's simple really. All… I care about… is their mission. My analysis confirms a 9.23% survival rate of Lancelot or Odette, and half the rate for both of them alive. What matters is that they succeed. They can live, but we _must._ "

Meanwhile…

"Y'all see anything?" Franco asks Bane, who was looking at his periscope. "All the boys need to turn around when we see the thing."

"Not yet in sight," Bane sighs, capping one end of the periscope. "It is meant to feel dry, but it feels… moist, here, in the air. Do you feel it?"

"What? I'm just sweatin' over here!"

"Hmph. You haven't taken a bath yet," Bane points out.

"Says barnacle bear- Oh, fish sticks, what's that?"

The Pirate Lord was taken aback by Franco's sudden change of tone. He uncaps the periscope and peers into it, seeing a few Spitfires and Hellbats slowly grouping into an average swarm. They didn't move forward, all they did was seemingly hover in their place, flapping their bat-like wings. The Spitfires exhaled tongues of fire as they went around the Genesys Gem's protective bubble, as if they were mocking the army.

"That is unseen behavior," Yi Sun Shin says to Bane. "Bane, tell the ships and the men to come to their posts. We might need to veer off."

"Affirmative." Bane steps down the bow of the main ship they were in and commanded in a loud voice. "ALL Y'ALL SCALLYWAGS AND PISSPOTS, SPLIT FORMATION! I DON'T WANT ANY OFFICER NOR FLOOR SCRUBBER SLACKING OFF TODAY, SO GET TO WORK OR I'LL KICK YOUR GLUTES OFF THE PLANK!"

Everyone in every ship responded with a resounding "AYE, CAPTAIN!" before running to the ropes.

He looks back and sees Yi and Franco surprised by his wordings. "Sorry, it's the only way to motivate them. If we need to move, best be where you need to be."

"Grock wants to see big insect!" the stone titan began. "Smash it with my tower!"

Below Grock, the kingdom's second tier defenses kicked in, while the third tier remained on standby. If you're asking, the latter tier included not only Tesla towers, but also an experimental… Wait, hold up, the name is rather long.

Okay, so the name of this huge thing is the Kinetic Molecular Cohesion Disruptor, or the KMCD. Judging from the info within the files, it is, of course, an experimental weapon manufactured in Zerpyh Corps in Eruditio, and later reached prototype classification when handed to the Land of Dawn proper. It says here that it is… well, it's basically just one huge death ray. But to put the science behind it, it basically uses the excess energy of the Genesys Gem, sunlight, and even arcane magic and concentrates the volatile anti-matter in what is nicknamed as the 'mixer'. Only when fully charged will this weapon fire. What it does is, as its name suggests, destroys or deteriorates the links that render the molecules of a structure, object or person cohesive to each other, and either disintegrate it completely or vanish it from existence. However, the tests performed show inconsistent results, with the same target either being burnt to a crisp, frozen, and the like. Heck, it made a rubber tire electrically charged. Don't ask me how that happened.

Hence the term 'experimental'. It requires a passcode to activate, known only to Estes and two other people.

And now, meet Royce and Delsin, the two other people, who are also the pilots of the said death ray.

And also, what could be our comic relief duo.

"Hey, where's Royce? Royce! Oi, Royce!"

"Goddamnit, won't you wait for me, Delsin? I haven't eaten breakfast!" Royce complains. "You could've just told me they were serving peanut butter!"

"I didn't know you were allergic to that stuff! It tastes good, c'mon!"

"You want me to die so I can tell you how _delicious_ that pile of-"

The doors suddenly opened, revealing Alpha, who was about to give the final orders.

"Are you two alright?" the cyborg asks.

"Yeah, yeah, don't mind," Royce sarcastically replied, glaring at Delsin. "Hey, what's going on down there? Heard that this 'Leviathan' thing is gonna come out of the clouds."

"True. That's why I'm here to inform you that the KMCD is going to come online as soon as the Genesys Gem turns down the bubble. That means your target is now visible. The weapon's integrity is solid, despite the unpolished look. The mages and the scientists of the demo team have stored up sufficient fuel for it to fire as many as three charges. Remember, the third charge is when the Leviathan becomes downed."

"How will we know that?" Delsin asks. "I mean, we don't know how it moves."

"As long as it's taking a nosedive, that's your signal for the third charge. Under no circumstances will you leave your post when the Leviathan is visible, and if you have additional charges. Oh, and Estes said that the passcode is to be changed. It's now 'heap of junk'. Just speak it in the built-in microphone in the cockpit."

"Seriously, 'heap of junk'?" Royce asked, sighing. "Sounds like my first wife."

"Anyway, I hope you stay alive. With the bubble gone, more demons will pour in and try to attack this. Once you fire the first shot, you will be made known. Godspeed, the two of you. Oh, and Royce? There is bacon and eggs downstairs."

"Really?!"

Meanwhile…

As for the other remaining heroes, they were all in the battlefield. An addition to the main army was Aurora's Ice Knights, which Estes recalled in the 5th day after the tremendous clash. Aurora thought that extra manpower would come in handy since the sun would most surely be blotted out by the Leviathan's size, and that they wouldn't melt. Also, they serve as good soldiers against the Spitfires since they are weak against the cold.

The only downside is that if they do melt, and if Aurora has difficulty with the Gem when the Leviathan does appear, it's going to be wet in the battlefield. To keep it simple, it will be hard to wade through mud. Unless, of course, if the constant reality warping made by the Genesys Gem's volatile power prevents that, or amplifies it.

"There is a brewing storm," Eudora tells Karina, brushing a lock of her silver hair. "But no lightning, no thunder. A booming roar."

"Senses are tingling," Sun mutters, gripping his golden cudgel nervously. "Those flyers don't look good. It's as if they're preparing for some grand entrance."

In the front, most of the main heroes were at the frontline. Tigreal, Akai, Johnson, Gossen, Harley, Lolita, Clint-

Okay, let me just be real. Everyone is there. I mean, the files are being a total jerk to me now, so please understand.

Christ, writing this story is tedious. But I'd take this over writing a dissertation.

"The winds are picking up. Plant your feet to the ground," Johnson says, his radar blipping. "Winds of a tropical storm. The Spitfires and Wombats and the like are increasing in number. This is not good."

Tigreal replies, "The Gem's dome hasn't been removed yet. Who's with it?"

"Estes," Kagura answers. "He's trying to find an opening within the Leviathan. The surprise weapon is meant to create a large enough hole for them to get in, unless Estes can make a portal through the inside. Problem is, they need to see the inside, but the Leviathan's anatomy is just immense. They could be transported within the walls of the body."

"And no sign of the Nazar," Roger huffs, throwing his cigar. "The Lords probably warned them not to go here. We will be a sitting duck if we don't get support pronto."

Alucard, Ruby and Chou brush through the army and reach the front, seeing the Wretches and Reapers emerging from the other side of the battlefield, somewhat jeering at the army. The Bastions and Striders reinforce the spearhead formation with another layer, locking themselves shut. The Goblins appeared, laughing themselves off, constantly throwing rocks and pebbles, mocking the heroes.

"Can someone please let me shoot them down?" Clint asked, reloading his revolvers. "Cheeky bastards think they could laugh at us a few kilometers away?!"

Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed throughout the area, silencing everyone. As it stopped, the demons intensified their vocalizations, snarling and yelling at the army, pounding their chests. The Dark Lord's spirit came into view, fragments of obsidian hovering around him. He was far away, but he was clearly seen looking down from the crest of the elevation.

"His henchmen ain't there," Bruno notes. "And what are those shards around him?"

"That's his body," Alucard clarifies. "He's using it as armor to contain his energy. By tomorrow, he will fight us head on. I read his mind, he's just waiting for-"

He was interrupted by the deep snarl that boomed around the area. Cyclops shivered around his entire body. Aurora already generated multiple ice shards around her, awaiting for Estes' recall.

"My Queen… what was that?" Nexos asked. "That sound-"

"Yes, Nexos. We know. Round up your soldiers. I may be with the Gem in a few minutes. Estes wasn't there trying to help us. He was trying to give more energy to the Gem for me. He is well aware I can't stop it without external help."

The knight bows and runs, calling Aurora's cavalry, along with the humongous ice knights. The protodrake flew overhead, puffing out black smoke. It landed on Grock's shoulder, roaring and extending his wings, a trail of black flames coating the gloomy sky. Its sound was responded to by a resounding grunt, which startled the reptile. The protodrake peered with its head alongside Grock, trying to acknowledge the presence of the source of the grunt.

"Where is big insect?!" Grock began. "Grock will bash its head!"

Saber flies into the scene and was struggling from the sudden turbulence. "It is like a tropical storm, Alpha. I cannot get too close, it's dangerous. Status on the Sharpshooters?"

"They're all locked and loaded," Alpha replied, riding on Beta next to Saber. "Beta tells me her radar is choppy. The Leviathan's closing in."

Fanny latches onto the kingdom's primary walls. She spots what seems to be a large tentacle slowly writhing through the clouds. "Holy… that's larger than I thought."

Bane peers with his periscope, and in the far off distance, sees a large body slowly wriggling vertically, three large tentacles on either side. Two pairs of large, tattered wings parted the cloudy sky, and the Leviathan emerged.

Grock is around a hundred meters tall. This behemoth? Around five to six times longer than how Grock is tall. It beheld a maroon palette, the pieces of its carapace slowly clacking to the Leviathan's wriggling movement. Its winged gliders, though very slow in their flapping (1 flap per 10 seconds, to be exact), helped the monster hover around, accompanied by the Spitfires and Hellbats. The winds generated cause enough turbulence to disorient Bane and Yi Sun Shin's airborne ships. Its six glowing eyes were yellow, and the irises were a bright red. Its ivory tusks had deep battle scars engraved on it. The beast's large, serrated teeth were heavily discolored. Instead of one huge tail, the Leviathan sported three that forked from the end of its fat body. The tails had big club-like spikes on their ends, and they slowly shaked in an irregular pattern.

To make the long story short? This thing makes you piss your pants.

"Um, Bruno?" Chou asks, in shock. "You'll forgive me for swearing now, right?"

"Yeah," the Protector squeaked out. "What were you going to say?"

"Um… what the fuck is that?" Chou pointed towards the hulking mass.

Hylos walked in front, astounded. "That, Chou… is the Leviathan."

The monster reeled and let out an earpiercing roar that shook ground. It kept doing so for fifteen seconds, rattling the bones of the heroes and nearly disrupting the spearhead formation. As soon as it stopped, the demons roared and cheered. A calm, warping sound was heard, and the transparent barrier of the Genesys Gem slowly dissipated from the ground up, and by the dozen, the demons poured in.

A portal formed and Estes appeared in front of the heroes. "Aurora, you need to get to the Gem, now!"

"On my way," Aurora says as she ran through the portal. As soon as she entered, it disappeared. She touched the Genesys Gem and slowly harnessed its power, immediately creating rough, cold winds that started to suppress the Leviathan. The beast itself, however, remains unfazed, and continues unimpeded. It moved towards the Land of Dawn in a constant speed of 25 meters per minute. At this rate, it would breach the kingdom in two hours.

The heroes will need more than two hours.

The Demon Hunters, along with Victor and Yinsen, arrive, already prepped with their equipment.

"Victor, where is the heart located now?!" Estes asked around the commotion as the heroes already charged to fend off the smaller demons coming up front.

"Located in the center of the body!" Victor shouts. "Before, it was close to its head, but the Dark Lord has changed its anatomy!"

"Then we need it to veer to the side to get a close shot with the KMCD!"

Saber picks up the command and immediately flies towards Alpha.

"Alpha! Is Royce and Delsin inside the KMCD?!"

"Yes, I got Estes' words! I'll order them to fire when the Leviathan turns to its side!" Alpha immediately connects to the radio station inside the KMCD's holding facility. "Hey! Can anyone hear me?!"

Delsin, trembling, immediately picks up the signal and responds. "Y-Yes, Alpha, we can hear you loud and clear!"

"Listen, Estes needs a clear shot of the-… on- side!"

"W-What? Alpha, the signal is not clear!"

Royce, who finished breakfast, sped towards Delsin. "Hey, what's wro-"

"SHUT IT, I'M TRYING TO TALK! ALPHA, THE SIGNAL IS NOT CLEAR! OVER!"

"Delsin, tell Royce to keep watch on the KMCD! Hit-… SIDE! HIT ITS SIDE! HIT ITS-"

"Hello?! Damn it, we lost the signal! Royce! We need to hit the Leviathan's side! The side!"

Royce didn't respond as he was already configuring the KMCD, keeping watch on the 'Mixer'. The large amount of fluids and energy slowly began to coalesce. The timer in the large screen read:

 _ **Charging… 2%. ETA: 20 minutes.**_

"20 MINUTES?!" Delsin exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Saber has reached Bane's main ship and landed on the bow.

"Bane, listen up. We need you to try and distract the Leviathan. We need you to make it turn to its side for the weapon to fire. Estes needs an opening. If we don't do this, we won't be able to take it down.

"Consider it done!" Bane shouts. He turns to Yi Sun Shin. "Oi, Yi!"

"Yes, Bane?"

"How fast can your Turtle Ships go?"

The general grins. "As fast as we need it to run. I'll hitch a ride, Saber. I will command one of my ships to lure the Leviathan."

"No, not yet!" Saber warns. "The KMCD has a very lengthy charge time, we can't make you go too early!"

Suddenly, the cold force winds from Aurora's spells slowly pushed the ships into the fray. The crewmen struggled to keep them stationary. Mortar shells and missile flew past the ships, aimed at the Leviathan. They made 100% impact, but as the smoke cleared, the carapace barely received a dent, but the Leviathan was blinded and choked by the smoke. The tendrils on its side went into action, trying to extend towards the ships, but they couldn't reach it.

"Aurora is trying as hard as she can! We need to take out the small flyers first if we are to make progress! I'll tell you when to move, Yi!" Saber says before nosediving towards the ground.

The cyborg calculated the outcomes. He was nervous. How can they hope to kill it? It's almost as if the impossible hurdle was presented in front. They have no choice but to take the leap. But unlike the other human weapons before him… He had faith.

A concept the scientists who created him arrogantly overlooked.

And his faith grew stronger as he sliced through the battlefield in a frenzy, disorienting the Ravagers and Goblins in his way.

Meanwhile…

Argus, Lancelot, Odette, and the demolition team slowly creeped around the dark ground covered by the corruption. Due to Argus' presence, they were granted safe passage… for now. After a slow bend to the gloomy landscape, they reached their destination.

"Here it is… the Reservoir," the team captain said. He pointed at a large sand structure, choked by corruption all around, purple lightning streaking from above. The structure resembled a volcano… If a volcano did have steps circling around the body, reaching towards the top. In the vents and pockets of spaces on the base of the Reservoir, a plethora of demons began to emerge. Ravagers, Stalkers, Wretches, Goblins, you name it. A few Shadowbringers frantically exited the vents, clawing at each other. Spitfires and Wombats emerged from the top of the structure, immediately flying to the battlefield which was dozens of kilometers away from their current location. Luckily, their path was opposite to where the team was located.

"Okay, so, here is the plan," the captain said, creating a holographic projection of the interior of the structure. "The interior walls are lined with hundreds of eggs and such, serving as nesting and breeding areas of the demons. Due to the course of the events, we will have a lesser chance of being caught. The demons being bred and are released are rather rebellious and confused, since their hive minds have not yet been made active."

He then fishes out a small rectangular explosive charge, lines of blue energy pulsing on the casing. "This is our state-of-the-art Widowmaker depth charges. Well, they may be depth charges, but they will still work the same in here. They are resilient to the corruption, thanks to the Genesys Gem's excess energy, and has enough power to bust at least a 10 meter hole inside the 150 meter tall Reservoir. If you want more info, we would have to get inside the structure. Can't just explain here." The captain keeps the charge and pulls out his pulse rifle. He orders the other nine members of the team to move forward, as the demonic presence has now diminished.

Argus walks up to Lancelot and Odette. "Do you see the opening connected to the winding staircase? That is our entrance, and most likely our exit." He points towards a narrow set of steps (two men can walk side by side on it) snaking around the structure. The sand being the primary building component of the staircase gave it the illusion of being weak. A Ravager runs down it, but immediately trips, causing it to fall to the ground which was around 68 meters down. It hit the dirt with a _THUMP,_ but it stood, shaking its head, as if it just received a mild concussion.

"I will go behind you," Argus says, letting Lancelot and Odette walk first. "I will warn if there is any demon nearby."

The team approaches the base of the staircase, but was interrupted by the loud rumble of the earth. A sharp howling noise from the other side of the Reservoir resonated throughout the landscape.

"The Leviathan is now there, and the demons are jeering," the assistant leader mutters. "We need to go now."

The team captain walks first, followed by the heavy gunner, lugging around a large RPG behind his back. The other soldiers, including the two medics, slowly start the ascent. Lancelot and Odette go last with Argus, and then they started climbing the narrow staircase, watching the sky, purple flashes of lightning often blinding them.

"Lance… I can't see the stars," Odette says to him quietly. "They… They're gone."

The fencer looked up. There was no pollution in Gaius. Barely any. If anything, this was one of the best places to be to observe the night sky. But now… there was none to view. Not even the brightest. Odette was filled with worry.

"Hey, hey. It's alright. By the time this is over, we will watch the night sky, okay?" Lancelot assures. "There will be a lot of them when the war is over. We just… We just need to push, my love."

"Lance… Remember w-what I told you?"

"About what?"

"About the stars?"

" _The stars… they're so pretty. I wonder who they were… who they are. It's almost dreamy."_

 _The two walked around the palace gardens, watching them twinkle. A meteor swiftly darted past their eyes._

" _Tigreal… He once told me, that the bravest of warriors become stars, a reminder of the light that shone within them throughout their darkest hours."_

" _I want to be one with them… I don't want to fight. My innocence, that will be my proof, my sole reminder. And you, my Lance, you will be with me up there one day. Maybe you circle around me, or you be close. Either way, I am happy with you around. Can you promise me?"_

"I promise you. We'll bring you up there one day," Lancelot says, smiling. "I always keep my promises."

Argus overheard them and slowly thought to himself.

" _They have dreams that are nigh impossible to achieve. The Lords are never merciful. They do not see how they wish to be normal people with promises to fulfill, and people to cherish. Not all of them are fighters. This is wrong. I… I need to bring them back. I will. I won't let them die. I won't let the prophecy decide their fate."_

"Hey, Argus?" Odette asks. "Is something wrong?"

Argus snapped out of his thoughts and noticed that he was ten steps behind the duo. "Sorry, I… I must be imagining things. Don't worry, I will catch up."

"Sure," Lancelot replied. The two carried on with the demolition team. Argus chose to fly around next to them. He circles the staircase, looking for any looming threat. He eyes a Morphling in the end of the stairs. To avoid being seen, he lowers to communicate with the captain.

"Captain, a Morphling is on the end of the staircase. You need to be discreet. I will warn for more threats."

The officer nods silently and signals the team to bring out their silenced pistols. They crept up closer to the end of the staircase. The captain eyes the sleeping Morphling on the corner of his eye. He stops.

"All of you, stay back. I will deal with the target." The captain aims carefully and pulls the trigger, shooting the Morphling right at the head. It dies without making a sound. Argus lands on the staircase and grabs the corpse and flies. He carves a hole adjacent to the end of the staircase and puts the Morphling inside. Argus then grabs the circular block and jams it back in place.

"No witnesses. The demons are smart. I won't let them see us," he mouthed. "Captain, proceed. I will be with Lancelot and Odette."

Meanwhile…

 _ **Charging… 71%. ETA: 8 minutes.**_

Saber receives the signal and immediately stops clashing with a Wretch. He turns around, making the Wretch chase him. Balmond arrives and takes Saber's place, landing the blade of his axe into its skull. The Wretch wheezes ad it tries to claw Balmond out, but another Bloodlust Orc cuts off its lower jaw, killing it. Unfortunately, said orc was snatched by the jaws of another Wretch, which turned to face Balmond. Layla fired behind the Wretch, making it pay attention to her. Before it could charge, Hylos slams his scepter to the Wretch, causing it to get knocked down. Gossen dashes towards the beast and throws his daggers above it, piercing the Wretch five times. He recalls them, cutting the Wretch again, letting it bleed out.

Gossen lands on Johnson's roof. "You know, if I keep this up, I'll grow dizzy."

"Then stop doing it!" Johnson suggested, releasing a missile barrage at the Kastiyans that emerged. The carpet bombs left a crater of blue gore.

"Sorry, can't. This is our job, you know?" Gossen then throws a dagger at a Hellbat. He dashes towards it in the air and yanks at it, throwing it downwards towards Minotaur. The hybrid whacks it to God-knows-where with his hammer. Gossen throws another dagger and dashes throughout the air, forcing the demons to attack him.

"COME ON, CATCH ME! COME ON!" he taunted. A swarm of Spitfires began to follow him. He dashed towards the spearhead formation and jumps on one of the Bastion's shields. The Spitfires try to turn tail, but it was too late, as they were shish-kebabbed by the Striders and shot down by the Sharpshooters.

Saber safely made it into the ship, where Yi Sun Shin was slicing up a Hellbat with his glaive. "Hey, Yi. Time is now!"

Yi hears Saber and runs towards him, shooting down a Wombat ramming towards the cyborg. Saber transforms and carries Yi Sun Shin towards one of the smaller turtle ships. A Spitfire follows them, but Saber dislodges one of his mobile swords, slicing the Spitfire down. The cyborg throws Yi Sun Shin to the bow of the ship.

"You know what to do! I'll cover you!" Saber zoomed towards the Leviathan and hovered, releasing his twelve swords. They arranged a pattern above him, and the swords pulsed with orange energy. It caught the Leviathan's attention, like a bull to a red cape.

(For your information, bulls aren't angered by the red color. They are actually enticed by the _movement_ of the cape, and as you can see here, it's not the orange color that attracted the Leviathan. It's the pulsing.)

Yi commands his crew to steer in front. Saber lands on the ship and makes the swords pulse harder. Meanwhile, on the KMCD, Delsin warns Royce of the countdown.

"How much time left?!" Royce asks, configuring the cockpit controls.

"Four minutes!"

Royce exclaims. "That's too much time, that will risk-"

"JUST SHUT UP AND LET SABER GIVE YOU THE OPENING!"

"WAIT, WHAT'S THE PASSWORD?!"

"WHAT PASS- OH CRAP DON'T TELL ME YOU FORGOT IT!"

Fanny flies around and sees Saber and Yi charging straight towards the Leviathan. Bane's ships shoots more cannonballs, angering the monstrosity.

"C'mon, you sack of organs, c'mon!" Bane curses as the Leviathan's eyes held a glint of ferocity. It began to charge towards Yi's ship, but it was slow. The real threat was the tendrils on the Leviathan's sides, the turbulence in the air made by Aurora's winds, and the Spitfires and Hellbats throwing off and misleading the ships.

"Alpha, heads up. I'm bringing the party," Saber said. "We need the flyers off of our tail. The Leviathan can't catch us, only its tendrils can. We need the Teslas up and running, ASAP!"

The Tesla towers inside the kingdom slowly charged to life and were aimed at the mass of Spitfires and Wombats. Saber and Yi Sun Shin veers the ship they were on side to side, disorienting the Leviathan and slowing it down. The other ships behind them began creating irregular patterns that disoriented the Leviathan's focus.

"We still can't bring Grock here!" Yi Sun Shin says to Saber. "He will distract Estes and the hunters. We need him to focus on the ground!"

Fanny latches onto the ship and lands next to Saber. "Anything you need? That's a huge party you're lugging."

"Tell Grock to move away from the air. His presence will distract the Leviathan. Tell him to engage when clear."

"On it." Fanny leaps to the starboard side and latches to Grock's free arm, swinging around. She slices two Hellbats in the air before skyrocketing upward. Fanny latches on Grock's shoulders and plants her feet.

"Big guy!"

Grock peers over his shoulder. "Yes, little one?"

"Move off! Don't fight the Leviathan first! Kill the demons on the ground!"

"Grock hears command! Will now bash ants with tower!" Grock yells and stomps the ground, sending hundreds of demons flying. He slams one of his feet and crushes a few Wretches. He swings his tower and wipes a horde of Goblins that were about to ambush Alucard and Roger.

In the distance, the Dark Lord observed the chaos. _"The Titan is remarkable. He is a main hindrance. But he will fall when the Leviathan draws near."_

Helcurt crawls up to the malevolent spirit. _"Liege… our ground troops are w-w-w-wiped! The next batch will a-arrive t-t-too late!"_

" _Hush. I am well aware. But the Leviathan is expending their resources. They cannot pierce its armor. And Estes… he may kill it, but it will weaken him. This is all according to the plan. Only the titan serves as our problem. Up until now… We shall see what my pet can do."_

Saber pulses his swords again. "LISTEN UP, WHALE! DON'T MIND THEM, GET US!"

Yi waves around his arms. "OI, GET US, YOU FATSO! EAT US!"

"ROYCE! THE PASSWORD!"

"WHAT ABOUT THE PASSWORD?!"

 _ **Charging… 98%. ETA: 1 minute.**_

"WHAT'S THE PASSWORD?!"

"I DON'T KNOW THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU!"

The Leviathan grunts, confused. From afar, Royce begins to aim the KMCD. Estes and the other Demon Hunters watch as the lure begins to work.

"Hey, kid!" Victor calls to Alucard. The Demon Hunter speeds up to Victor.

"Good luck out there, Victor."

"Don't cry, kid. This will all be in a jiffy when we get there. We'll teach the scumbag how it's done."

"Wait… HEAP OF JUNK!"

"WHAT?!"

"HEAP. OF. JUNK! HEAP. OF. JUNK!"

The machine slowly whirred to life, multiple safety locks slowly dislodging.

"10 SECONDS!" Delsin yelled to Royce. The KMCD began to charge up, whirring. Royce aims to the Leviathan's exposed side. Saber stops projecting the lure as the Leviathan slowly recovers. "Yi, get out now!"

The ships rapidly descends downward as the KMCD holding facility sparks from afar.

"ALRIGHT!" Royce cheered, removing all safety locks. The weapon grew as bright as the sun. "NOW LET'S MAKE THIS BAD BOY LAND THE HEAT INTO THAT SCALY MOTHER-"

A large, white laser pierces through the sky and hits the Leviathan point blank on its right side. The monstrosity roars from the tremendous pain, arcing its back, causing its armored plates to click. The laser intensifies and begins to cut a large hole on it. The Hellbats and Spitfires try to fly off the laser, but the volatile photon energy easily incinerates them or freezes them, causing them to die as they fall. The Leviathan tries to cover the wound with its wings, but the KMCD easily cuts through it, forcing the beast to pull the wings up. A massive amount of blood bursts out of the cauterized wound. The laser dies out and the army uncovers their eyes by pulling out their arms.

The Leviathan whimpers in agony as the large wound begins to make it lose more blood. The wound slowly regenerated, but the ships began firing their artillery, forcing the hole to open. One of its tentacles suffered major damage, and was forced to retract.

"YES!" Royce says, pumping his fists into the air. "HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT NOW?! HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT NOW?!"

 _ **Charging… 1%. ETA: 30 minutes.**_

"Yes, Royce! The man!" Delsin says. "Hey, cool the 'Mixer' and inject the fluids back, I'll now shoot!"

"Good idea!" Royce jumps off of the cockpit and runs to the main console, studying the meters. The energies are starting to cool. "The demons will be coming in here any minute!"

"If we pull this off, we gonna be stinkin' heroes, man!"

"YEAH, I KNOW JUST FOCUS! Oh, Lord, this thing better charge up fast or we will get pecked."

The Dark Lord was taken aback by the sudden retaliation maneuver in the field. He shouts in frustration.

Helcurt, worried, rushes to the spirit. _"My Lord… that weapon…"_

" _ALL OF YOU, DESTROY THE WEAPON AT ALL COSTS! WITHOUT MY PET, WE WILL NOT PREVAIL!"_

"Time to go!" Estes beckons, conjuring a portal towards the hole. "It won't be long before the Leviathan regenerates from its wounds!"

Estes enters the portal and gets transported inside the massive wound, stepping on what appears to be a layer of the Leviathan's skin. The hole was like a humongous sewage pipe. A lot of mucus and other foreign fluids were accompanied by the harmless corruption inside the Leviathan. Victor and Yinsen emerge from the portal, along with Pique and Tuk. Eight more members emerge from the portal before it disappears as the wound nearly regenerates completely. The rumbling sound of artillery echoed throughout the whole body.

"Still, it would leave a heck of a scar," Pique notes. "C'mon, the heart of the beast is this way."

Estes generates a few runes, giving them a bit of light. He notices the internal wound even recovering.

"The Leviathan is weak inside, but we still have a long ways to go. We need to hurry. Be glad that the other airborne threats didn't respond in time, or we would take longer to get there."

Meanwhile…

"Uranus! Uranus, where are you?!" Kaja calls out from the Angelic Plains. He lands on the clouds, trying to find Uranus.

"Kaja!" Uranus responds, approaching the Nazar king. "Have you seen what's happening?"

"The Leviathan, it has arrived. The heroes have been able to intrude its heart, but it won't be long before it wrecks the army completely. Uranus, we need to intervene now!"

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?!" Uranus exclaims. "You need to stop and think! What do you think will happen if you go down there?"

"It doesn't matter if I will be exiled, what matters is I am doing the right thing!" Kaja fights back, pushing Uranus off. "Forget the Lords and their threats. I won't just stand here and watch them die out. I will round up my fellow Nazar."

"Kaja? For the love of the heavens, Kaja!" Uranus mumbles as Kaja disappears out of view as he tries to reach the Celestial Palace. "This is not going to end well."

Uranus peers down and sees Argus, Lancelot and Odette infiltrating the Reservoir. They have already entered the entrance atop the staircase. "W-What?! What are they… Oh no. They're desperate."

The titan looks away and tries to breathe. "Easy… They're trying to prevent more demons from coming in, but they can die out there! We can't help them there… Damn it! I need to follow Kaja! The chaos has to be resolved!"

Meanwhile…

Oh, you wanted to know about Zhao?

Well, he locked himself up in his room, and Miya has been trying hard to get him out of there, hence her absence.

"Zhao? Please… talk to me. You need to get out, come on!"

Miya was no mind reader, nor can she see what's on the other side, but she does feel Zhao's sadness. She could hear him clutching his pillow and burying his face into it, trying to forget yesterday's ordeal.

"Zhao, listen. We need you there… Your cheerful you, we really need you there, or a lot of people are going to die prematurely. We can't let that happen. If we do, we will be overrun sooner."

"Leave me alone!"

Miya almost doubled back from the response. But she sighs, leaning her ear to the door again. "Look… I know you're tired. You've lost someone dear to you… But we all have. Some will, and in the end, they will be gone. You know why you are here. You came for them… to help us! Isn't that what Moskov would want you to do?"

There was no reply. Miya, however, was certain that the walls were cracking. She just had to give him time and pray that he will come out sooner or later, now that the Leviathan is advancing.

"Sigh… fine. You have two choices. Either you sulk on your bed and wait for the Dark Lord to win, or you help us stop him ourselves. If you can't do it for us… Then at least…"

She hesitated to say it, knowing that this certain dialogue was rather overused and common, but it was the right dialogue. "Then at least do it for Moskov. You owe it to him."

Miya turns around and slowly steps away, leaning and slightly looking back at the door, hoping for Yun to come out. "We all owe it to him."

 _ **ALERT! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!**_

 _(The following transmissi- -s h-i-y c-rr-e- a-d – st-l –i-g re-s-ruc-e- -_ _[DATA REDACTED]. D-str-u-n - -s pu-h-b-e b- in-arc-a-on a-d/- d-a-._

 _The file was creat- -n -/-/-0 b- an anon- u-er.)_

" _Okay… okay, guys, lis(CORRUPTED) get caught here."_

" _(CORRUPTED)t's all real! I swear, thi(CORRUPTED)y is real! I have the p(CORRUPTED)hey exist!"_

" _I really need to sh(CORRUPTED)ore they catch me. It's the on(CORRUPTED)uth will be revealed."_

" _O(CORRUPTED) (CORRUPTED)TTA GO!)_

" _SUSPECT LOCATED! SHOOT TO KILL!"_

 _ **END OF TRANSMISSION.**_

In the Reservoir, Argus, Lancelot and Odette wedge their way inside, trying to reach the interior. A large rumble slowly shook the place, and the whole group had to cling to the walls to maintain their footing.

"It is angry," Lancelot notes, gripping his sword. "The weapon worked against the Leviathan. Give or take an hour and a half and it's going to breach the walls. We have to be quick."

The group wriggles out of the crevice they were in and they arrive at a rather wide interior, taking up most of the Reservoir's occupied area. They were slightly above the midsection, and they noticed the smelly fumes being exhaled.

"Is that… oxygen?" Odette asks. "It has a bad odor… but it is oxygen."

The team tries to get a view, each member trying to take up a space in narrow land bridge that led to the other side of the structure. They peered in the bottom and found a massive, fleshy pulsing sphincter, a black pit inside it. Every once in a while, it exhaled light green gas that wafted its way through the top, like smoke from a volcano. Around the sphincter, several eggs and natural birthing pods lined. One of them hatched, and out came a few Morphlings, wet with mucus. The sphincter slowly opened, purple energy glowing within it, and out came a small swarm of Hellbats. They screeched as they shot upwards, and the team had to stay silent and back away so they may remain unnoticed.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, here is the plan." The captain deploys the holographic render of the Reservoir. "We can't just drop bombs inside the sphincter. We need to collapse the structure as well. We need to bury the demons to come using the whole building. Instead of setting charge around the structure, we need to go to the sphincter proper and place the bombs there. The base of the Reservoir has grown weak and is prone to collapse, so the best bet is to bring the blocks down with the sphincter. Bring out your charges."

Each member of the demolition team fished out their Widowmaker depth charges. "Here is the risk. Detonate the charges around the sphincter, and the said building collapses inward, yes? But at least one depth charge needs to reach the sphincter's insides. That way, we can ensure it stops pulling out more demons. There's a chance that the person who throws it in may die here."

"Can't we detonate the charges remotely?" Argus asks.

"We can do it remotely, manually, or set them on a timer, but the first former options won't work inside the sphincter. Signal gets lost in there due to the continuum breaking the connection apart."

"Then I'll do it myself. I have the highest chance of getting out alive. The demons, however, will be more intent to kill everyone else here since I pose a threat too high for them. You need to be careful. Estes can't help us anymore. We're in uncharted territory. We're walking out of here, literally."

"Consider it done," the captain replies. "You all know your roles. Plant the charges at your designated points. Do not attempt to neutralize spawning threats. Make sure you do it within the hour, or we will be late."

The other members nod as some rappel down from the land bridge while others go down via the network of tight caverns and openings.

Argus tells to the duo, "Stay here. I will inspect outside." He unfurls his wings and flies to the opening above, not minding the smelly fumes around him. He lands and perches on the top. Argus sees the mass of demons a few kilometers from their location, black and red dots dancing before his eyes. He couldn't see Alice nor Vexana around, but he was sure that they were absent for now. They wouldn't be guarding the Reservoir. This was their surprise attack. The disruptor was also part of the diversion as well. A working diversion, but a mere distraction nonetheless.

They will most likely fail if they get caught, one way or another.

Argus sighs. Before he could leave, he eyes a small swarm of Ravagers reentering the Reservoir. They weren't on alert, meaning that the team is still undetected, but they were going back inside nonetheless. He dives back inside the structure and tries to find the team captain, which is now reaching the halfway to the base.

"Captain, situation. Nine Ravagers reaching base of the structure."

"Halt," the captain whispers in their comms. The other members stop. Lancelot and Odette were using the networks, crawling and wedging their way out.

"Lance… they're stopping," Odette says. The knight stops, putting Odette behind him and peeks. A few Ravagers enter the base through the pocket space, slowly crawling around. One of them sniffs loudly, as if trying to pick up a scent.

"Stay quiet," the medic says. "Argus… they aren't aware of us?"

"No. I am sure of it. They're here for something else. Don't know what."

The group waits anxiously as the Ravagers slowly poured in, randomly circling and running around the sphincter, tripping over some of the eggs. One Ravager slowly creeped up towards one of its kind, making a soft clicking sound. The other demon made the same clicking sound, but slightly sped up.

"What are they doing?" Lance asked. Well, the answer to his question appeared right in front of the team as one of the Ravagers went on top of the other and-

I will have to stop you right there. I know, right? Who am I in the right mind to put this in the story? But believe me when I say that the files indicate that around a quarter of an hour was wasted by them waiting for the Ravagers to stop… doing whatever they are doing to prevent unnecessary detection.

They were traumatized, yes. I doubt that holy water is enough to purify their eyes.

I hope so, because I've seen it too, and a few minutes after writing this section, I will go to my local church and buy a batch of holy water and spray it all over me like mosquito repellant.

Just kidding, but you get the idea.

"Oh, for goodness sake," the heavy gunner complains, looking away. "That's the most disgusting thing I've ever encountered." He covers his ears as one of the Ravagers began making loud screeches.

"I've seen worse," Argus mumbles. "Lance, are you alright?"

"First, Hayabusa and Kagura, which was acceptable, and now this crap. For the love of… that's the worst thing we can see right now."

"Well…" the captain spoke. "We'll have to wait for this freak show to end before we push forth. Sigh, demolition duty does suck."

Meanwhile…

The Leviathan slowly backed away, shaking its head to recover from the laser's attack. It slowly looks up in front and snorts dismissively, somewhat angered.

"Yeah, we pissed it off," Karrie began. "We just pissed it off."

"As long as Estes and the other Demon Hunters are alive there," Eudora adds. "Just need to buy them more time."

The Leviathan eyes the KMCD that was within the kingdom, its eyes beginning to flare.

"Royce?"

"Yeah, I know."

"It's looking right at us," Delsin nervously says, inputting more commands to initiate a faster charging progress. He looks up at the timer.

 _ **Charging… 7%. ETA: 28 minutes.**_

Royce, surprised, looks up at the monitor. "Goddamnit, around 30 minutes. Hold on for 30 minutes- Delsin?!"

"Royce, stay there! I'll grab a pulse rifle!" Delsin exits the room, nearly skidding on the hallway, trying to find the building's armory

"NO! DELSIN! YOU SLIMY… GET BACK HERE!"

Royce panics as he checks the meters, noticing that they were still low. The Leviathan roared loudly, slowly vibrating the facility. Royce held on to a nearby table to support himself.

In the field, the monstrosity suddenly pushed with such force, the winds slowly driving Bane's ships off course and into each other. They easily recuperated, suffering little to no damage, but the Leviathan moved even faster than before with a steady 35 meters per minute. Suddenly, a large gale force pushed the Leviathan back, making it struggle. It seems that Aurora exerted more power with the Gem, but she will not be able to hold it for too long.

"Argh… this beast is fighting back. We need to push it away!" she says, warning the Royal Guards. A messenger exits the palace in a hurry, trying to reach the main walls, but it is too far.

He notices an ambulance with a PA system. The driver was finished escorting a dead Strider to a hospital.

"Hey… HEY! NEED HELP! I'VE GOTTA…"

The driver of the ambulance sees the tired messenger. "What's wrong?"

"The huge thing… Aurora can't push it, we need more firepower on it! We… We need more guns on that thing!"

The messenger pushes away the driver, exhaling, as he reaches for the ambulance's shotgun seat. In response, the driver enters the vehicle and starts up the engine.

"You need the PA?!" the driver hollers over a loud explosion coming from a mortar.

"WHAT?!"

"DO YOU NEED THE PA?"

"YES! YES! THANK YOU!"

The driver begins to maneuver around bustling streets as the messenger activates the megaphones to shout on it.

"EVERYBODY, WE NEED YOUR HELP! I REPEAT, WE NEED YOUR HELP! WE NEED MORE ARMS TO PUSH BACK THE HORDE OF DEMONS IN THE BATTLEFIELD! I REPEAT, MORE MEN! MORE CREW MEMBERS! WE HAVE MANNED TURRETS AROUND THE PERIMETER FREE FOR USE! WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET TO PUSH THE DEMONS AWAY AND PREVENT POTENTIAL BREACHES!"

A few bystanders ran to random directions, possibly their homes. Others already gripped their guns and made a run to the nearest armory, hitching rides on other vehicles. One of Franco's warriors pulled out a horn and blared through it, enticing the attention of more strangers. Some began to race for the main walls, seeking to fire artillery. The ambulance driver squints his eyes to the clouds as he steered and saw black, miniscule dots zooming to the kingdom.

"FLYERS! FLYERS DEAD AHEAD!" he warns to the messenger. The messenger relays the message through the PA to alert the bystanders. A young boy immediately grabbed a rifle and began to shoot at the demons, downing one of them. Even more shooters joined in as the number of demons increased.

The messenger cheered inside the ambulance as even more strangers and civilians began to join the fight, grabbing random things that will serve as their weapons. Like, dude. An old lady came out yelling for blood, raising her umbrella. That's hardcore if you ask me.

"Yeah, baby! That's what I'm talking about! That's what I'm talking about! Come on! COME ON!"

A dozen men have already arrived to the main walls, being sent to the manned turrets. One of them began to shoot at one of the Leviathan's left tendril, seeking to tear it down. More bullets sprayed the monster and it was forced to rear back, using its wings to cover itself. It roars to signal the Spitfires and Hellbats to strike down the defenses.

Multiple commanding officers have already sent their spare troops to stand ground. A Strider stabs an incoming Hellbat and extends her light spear (yes, her) to dismember another. The dismembered Hellbat shrieks at the Strider before being killed by one of Lapu's men.

An Archimedian floats upward towards a Tesla tower and sees a small swarm of Wombats approaching them. As the Tesla tower charged, the caster generates amplifying runes. As the lightning was shot, the whole swarm is electrocuted and burnt to a crisp, but the projectile began to arc even further, surging through the airborne naval ships, miraculously repairing them. As one of Bane's ships launched a volley of cannonballs, they sped twice as fast as they hit the Leviathan, the shrapnel ricocheting to the ground. The beast flaps its wings towards the kingdom, seeking to disorient their formation, but Aurora's winds calmly stabilized their positions as Yi Sun Shin's ships launched a rain of arrows. The Leviathan recklessly uncovered itself, thinking that the arrows were useless.

They were packed with firecrackers.

The arrows burst into colorful sparks of red, yellow and green, and it dazed the beast, worsening its eyesight. One of the firecrackers nearly scorched one of its eyes. The Leviathan wriggles in confusion, using its tentacles to whip down anyone who dared to go near, when in fact, no one has even charged straight at the Leviathan. It shakes its head, trying to fix its sight, only to see Grock jumping straight to the air, the crystal of his tower pointed at the monster's nose.

"DEATH TO LARGE INSECT!"

Grock successfully slams the crystal of his tower into the Leviathan, causing a concussion. The Leviathan recuperates and tries to punish Grock's move, but a charged gush of mystic energy hit its underbelly, searing its skin. The Leviathan grunts to see Gord being aided by a few Archimedians that strengthened his magic. It sought to retaliate with a tentacle, but Grock swipes it off easily. Saber flies around, executing every airborne demon in sight as Alpha did the check-ups on the situation.

"The Leviathan is about to reach halfway! If it does, we'll lose a lot of ground troops. We need to hold on as much as we can, the KMCD still has 20 more minutes needed to charge!"

Alpha jumps off of Beta and dives down, bringing his spear to the ground. He lands forcefully, pushing back a horde of Morphlings going against Roger. The hunter reverts back to his normal self and pulls out his blunderbuss. A Ravager charges at him but he ducks under, proceeding to shoot at the Ravager's stomach. He pulls away the corpse and sees a Wretch stampeding towards him. Roger transforms to a werewolf and somewhat lands on the Wretch's jaws. The demon tries to gnash its teeth to kill Roger, but he began to overcome the biting force, finally snapping the jaws outward to kill the Wretch. He jumps off and turns back to a human, helping Clint and his men eliminate a Reaper.

"More and more boys coming in to the fight!" the cowboy said, chuckling. "Any more surprises up our sleeve?" He sees an army of Goblins running up towards them, their clubs raised. Clint and his companions sidestepped off as Layla appeared behind them. She lets off a huge wave of destructive energy from her cannon, mowing down the Goblins as if she was using a high pressure garden hose. She releases her finger from the trigger and shoots a diving Spitfire.

"I can't believe it… The civilians are joining the fight!"

"Eruditio, too!" Bruno cheers. "Bring it on, Sky Raptors!"

Half a dozen fighter jets appeared in the sky, reaching Mach level speeds. One of them released a heat-seeking missile, and the projectile dove downward, avoiding the Leviathan. It successfully explodes on an enhanced Wretch on impact, killing a few Hellhounds in the blast zone. The others stopped releasing missiles and rockets and began firing their guns at the Leviathan, aiming for its eyes. However, the beast's eyelids were also tough, seemingly impervious to artillery. The Leviathan let out an ear-piercing cry, the soundwaves throwing off the jets. They began to fall to the ground, but they immediately regained equilibrium and hovered again, now assisting the ground. The Leviathan stopped roaring as Grock slammed his fist into its lower jaw. The protodrake leaped off of Grock's head and clawed at the Leviathan, unsuccessful in gouging out its eyes. The Leviathan roared to intimidate the protodrake, but the smaller contender let out a stream of black fire at its mouth, setting it aflame. The monstrosity began making guttural sounds, desperately using the tendrils to swipe off the protodrake. The protodrake dives down and rams through an army of Kastiyans, resisting their projectiles. Hilda runs on the protodrake's back and jumps off of its head, landing her axe to a Kastiyan;s body and slicing it clean.

Her new armor glowed in the light as she charged with a few of her tribesmen, pushing the hordes off.

"15 minutes!"

Hilda looks back and sees Johnson accompanied by Lesley and Harley, shooting down every demon in their path.

"WHAT?!" Lesley exclaimed, shooting down a Hellbat with her rifle. "ALL THAT WORK AND ONLY 15 MINUTES?!" She crouches on Johnson's roof and sees a Wretch tailing them. Chou appears from the side and kicks the running beast, sending it skidding to the rocky ground. He rolls as he lands and sent a flurry of punches to a Goblin, jackhammering the foe until it was a bloody pulp. He uppercuts the Goblin, sending them both sky high. Chou charges his fist and punches the Goblin towards the Wretch's cranium, killing them both. He randomly prepares a punch behind him, and sees Nexos, Aurora's right hand, looking at him with his sword out.

"I was about to kill the Wretch," Nexos pointed out.

"Go get your kills somewhere else, dude!" Chou suggests. He turns to face a horde of Ravagers charging towards them. Nexos pushes Chou off and slashes his sword in the air, casting a large ice wave. The Ravagers get knocked off their feet and slipped, trying to recover. Chou runs to finish them off but Ruby was already behind the Ravagers, slashing at them with her huge scythe. The last Ravager grabbed her skirt, but Ruby slashes upwards, the blade of the scythe lodged through the Ravager's skull. She struggles to pull it out, a pool of blood slowly forming on her feet.

"Did the work for you. Should be thankful!" Ruby sprints off to the opposite direction, seeking to aid Kagura.

"Did you know that she sliced me in half from here?" Nexos told Chou, motioning his groin. "That hurt."

"Yeah, well, she has a huge scythe, so perks."

Meanwhile…

"It's getting a bit shaky here," Tuk said, his voice slightly echoing around within the Leviathan. "Didn't expect it to be this shaky."

"Estes, something up outside?" Victor asks, scratching his back. "Dunno, feels like more guns just focused on this thing."

"The civilians on the ground are beginning to fight back," the king answers. "Their maximizing the output of their weapons, trying to suppress the Leviathan's movement. We don't have a lot of time."

The group slowly moved around the murky interior, the Leviathan's breathing slowly resonating around them. Mucus and flesh covered the walls, making the floor slippery. It wasn't long before they met a huge wall of flesh blocking their way.

"This may be as far as the weapon could've reached," Yinsen hypothesized. "But judging from the structure, its tougher than what we walked on. The heart may be right there on the other side. Say, we cut a hole?"

"Wait… there's a small crevice leading out to the other side," Victor notices, pointing at the small fleshy crack. It expanded and retracted in a slow rhythm. "Eugh. Disgusting."

"It's our only way. We need to move," Pique motions. Estes sprinted towards the crevice with the other Demon Hunters. He casts a rune, stopping the crack's somewhat respiratory movement. One by one, the Demon Hunters slid inside the crack, going through the tight space. Yinsen had to close his eyes to stop visualizing rather disgusting thoughts. He really did think he was going to be crushed by the wall of flesh. Luckily, that didn't happen, because he reached the other end and breathed easily. Estes entered last and exited last, deactivating the rune. The group couldn't see in the new space they were in, and no one dared move.

"Where are we?" Tuk asked. "It's like we are out in the open…"

Estes walked in front, casting illumination runes and loading them up on his wrist. "We are."

He launches the runes in multiple directions. Yinsen was astounded that two of the symbols were about 100 meters away from them/ Estes snaps his fingers and the runes shone, showing where they were.

Okay, imagine you're this small cell, okay? And you activate God Mode and look around where you are at, like Creative Mode in MineCraft. Just imagine over looking this wide landscape with the mountains and the sun and all that, no limit to what you are seeing.

And imagine that landscape being the interior of the Leviathan, and you see all of these monstrous organs moving around and about, giving it life. Imagine the esophagus doing peristalsis, the lungs slowly expanding and shrinking. Imagine the heart slowly beating like a large drum, vibrating the ground. Imagine the digestive system, the blood vessels and all of that, forming a different landscape only a few will ever witness, whether they be those that wish to kill the monstrosity, or ended up being its snack.

"Holy… this place is huge," Pique said in awe. "The heart's there. There are a few flesh platforms we can walk and jump on."

"We'll waste time trying to scale, I'll conjure some," Estes volunteers. He flicks his wrists, throwing multicolored runes that slowly transformed into light platforms. Victor stepped on one and pushed forth with the other platforms. The other Demon Hunters did the same as Estes easily floated towards the circular platform encompassing the heart. It took a minute for the other Demon Hunters to traverse. Tuk sweated nervously and slipped, nearly falling to God-knows-where.

"Ah, jeez! Oh… that's not good."

Yinsen raced to Tuk. "Goddamnit, get up! Watch your step, okay? Relax."

"Yeah… Yeah, kid. I know." Tuk brushed off imaginary dust from his pants and reached the circular platform. They were literally next to the heart, but its heartbeat didn't send vibrations to the platform they were standing on.

"We can't cut down the heart," Estes said. "Try hurting it physically, and the whole anatomy will release antibodies to exterminate us. As I begin my enchantments, they will come."

"Where do they crawl from?" Victor asked, bringing out his shotgun.

"They will crawl on the blood vessels around here and travel here on foot or on the air. I will need all the cover I can get to finish the work, and it will take a long while."

Yinsen was still confused concerning what Estes would actually do. "What you going to do?"

"Simple. Make the Leviathan suffer from cardiac arrest." Estes turns his back towards the Hunters. "Prepare what you need to prepare. I will commence. The Leviathan has reached halfway, and I do not intend to endanger the Land of Dawn because of our lack of punctuality." He casts the first rune and begins chanting softly. Estes puts his palm on the heart of the Leviathan, searing a symbol on it, and initiating the spell.

On the outside, the Leviathan doesn't feel anything (except the bombardment of literally everything that is trying to shed off its carapace), but inside? The antibodies are now loose.

Yes, antibodies. You know, those cells that… Anyway, those are literal demons that come in swarms. They are irregularly shaped, but they mostly have insect wings and hairy, spiky legs, like an insect's. They aren't individually resilient, but their strength is based on their numbers, akin to the Morphlings.

But the Hunters still haven't seen one yet.

"Estes needs around half an hour to finish the job. After that, we just have to use whatever we can to make sure it dies," Victor says. "Any of y'all has something to say?"

Horst raises his hand. "Yes, I do. Victor, that's the best case scenario. What if Estes cannot stop this thing? The KMCD can't even bring this down, you know that!"

"I have faith on the man. He's trying, and this is the best chance we have," Pique defends. "And besides- Wait… what's that chirping sound?"

The Hunters turned around and aimed their weapons, trying to find the source of the sound. Coincidentally, the sound of the working organs slowly diminished.

"Argh, still can't see good. Activate your flashlights," Yinsen commands. The Hunters flip the switches of their flashlights on their pockets, illuminating their surroundings. They spot an antibody.

It was dark green in color, and resembled a praying mantis, but its body was littered with hundreds of blue eyes, blinking at random intervals. Its legs didn't possess eyes, but they constantly tapped the ground. The head of the demon had two pairs of antennae, and it had three snapping mandibles. Its gray wings resembled that of a fly, but they were completely opaque than translucent. The antibody slowly reared up, making the annoying chirping sound. Tess, one of the Demon Hunters, charged at the demon and beheaded it using her machete. She kicked the body off, and it fell down to the darkness.

"That's creepy," she said, wiping the blood off of her weapon. "Seriously, just one?"

Estes stopped chanting, feeling multiple presences around him. "All of you. Don't be fooled. They've come."

"Um, where?" Tuk contradicts, peering down. "We haven't- OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!"

"Tuk?" Victor asks, rushing to the fellow Hunter that backed up against the heart. "What's wrong?"

Yinsen looks down and was shocked. "Hope you guys have a flamethrower…"

"I do!" Pique says. "Why?" He looks down and sees hundreds of antibodies slowly crawling their way up through a blood vessel, trying to scale towards the platform they were in. Estes snaps his fingers again to strengthen the runes, and they see multitudes of them crawling around the inner walls of the Leviathan, some already flying towards them, snapping with their mandibles.

They were surrounded.

Yinsen brings out his own flamethrower, reloading the air in a hurry. "Victor?!"

"KILL THEM ALL WITH FIRE, NOW! LIGHT THEM UP!"

I gotta say, if you were in their situation, that's exactly what you would shout at to your local government.

Meanwhile…

Let me try and list down some notable haters of my work, especially the monologues I once wrote in Hororo chan's videos…

iOnlyWatchHighlights, JV Larca, Dj Palpatine.

I will tell you this once.

Sigh…

I always remember. When someone is always in my mind, they are either whom I cherish or whom I want to perish. To me, you're just the crabs at the bottom of the pail trying to bring me down.

Guess what? You still haven't. Have fun, and remember to try and get out of your sofa and breathe in the fresh air, jeez! The murky scent of self-loathing and toxicity inside your houses is killing the three of you inside out. Bye!

Anyways… Where was I?

Sorry. Had to let out some steam. You see, they are total jerks. And let me tell you something about jerks.

They exist. They're a huge pain in the butt, and they are the reason why many nice things aren't here in our world. Some people try to ignore them, while some fight back. And I'm with the latter.

In this world, the feeble minds do not grasp the concept if they aren't physically whacked to sense, which is disconcerting to me, especially now that I have called out the haters once before.

Maybe it is because I am tired of letting them run rampant. After all, you can't expect the metaphysical to do all the work, especially if you can just grab the nearest baseball bat and do it yourself while practicing the perfect home run.

Now, you know the slightly cold side of me. Cold? Yes. But not cruel.

Goddamnit, SAAI, what did I tell you about writing crap in this document?

Oh, in case you're wondering, sorry about the stuff up there. I didn't write it, it was my new… acquaintance. He's just a newly developed AI that's running around my systems. He is 'Self-Aware Artificial Intelligence', hence why I'm calling him SAAI.

And he's a bit reckless, so pardon. I will need him when the time comes… When I become absent, that is. No, don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't mess up your story. I hope.

ANYWAY!

"Delsin, many bogies are coming out to get in here!" Royce shouted, adjusting the controls of his console. "Where is that prick when I need him?!"

The double doors burst open, and Delsin arrived with two pulse rifles in his hands and half a dozen grenades hung on his belt.

"Royce, how much time left?"

"Around 7 minutes. The laser will still be straight even with the flyers around, but we need to clear them off before they tear up the KMCD."

Delsin nods in agreement. "Sounds about right, bro. I already warned the nearby local defenses to cover us. The Sky Raptors are giving us more air to breathe, so as long as the KMCD is fine, we are good."

Suddenly, an emergency alarm blared. The automated speaker announced, _"Warning. Hostiles have breached the main walls. This is not a drill."_

"Crap, they got in?!" Royce exclaimed. "Did they climb up the walls?"

"They're just trying to take down this thing, they're not minding anything else, not even the goddamned titan!" Delsin yelled. "Royce, take the rifles. The one who's firing needs cover fire. The demons are going to breach the doors."

"I'll set up a barricade, you watch the damn timer!"

"ON IT, ROYCE! YOU MAKE IT QUICK BEFORE THEY GET YOU!"

Royce races and shoves the gun locker adjacent to the entrance, knocking it down with a loud _BANG!_ He then proceeds to grip on a nearby desk and pull it towards him, dragging it and lifting it above the cabinet.

"Heavy as a mother… DELSIN! WHERE ARE THE PLANKS?!"

"WE DON'T HAVE PLANKS! 5 MINUTES!" Delsin sees a Spitfire trying to divebomb through the glass dome, but luckily, it was enchanted, so the kamikaze move only gave the glass a small crack. A few more Spitfires came into view, trying to melt down the dome with their fiery breath, but many Sharpshooters have already responded, nicking them down like it was hunting season.

"THEN WHERE IS THE CHAIN?"

"INSIDE THE LOCKER!"

Royce looks back at the barricade. The table was above the knocked down gun locker. "YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT EARLIER GODDAMNIT!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED EARLIER ROYCE USE YOUR HEAD-"

Delsin was interrupted by the soft rumbling of the ground. "W-What was that?"

"I don't know, let me check." Royce grabbed his walkie-talkie. "HEY! What's going on down there?!"

" _STAMPEDE! STAMPEDE! GROUND HOSTILES BREACHING THE WALLS!"_

"Great. Really effin' great," Royce said, angrily removing the desk. "REALLY EFFING GREAT!"

"What?" Delsin asked.

"They just broke through the walls. No doubt they're coming in here!" Royce forcibly opens the locker and finds the chain. He grabs them and wraps them around the handles of the twin doors, locking them inside. "There, that will buy us some time. How many more minutes?!"

"TWO! TWO!" Delsin slowly backs away as the Hellbats began to slam themselves towards the dome, slowly making even more cracks. "I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE DOME WILL LAST!"

A large shadow loomed over the demons, and the cerulean protodrake exhales black fire on the Hellbats, coating the glass dome as well. The dome suddenly repairs itself, the cracks shrinking until they disappeared. The protodrake carefully supports itself on the dome, roaring to intimidate the demons away.

"No! Goddamnit, why is this thing in front?!" Delsin exclaims. "We need a clear shot!"

What Delsin didn't know was that a large swarm of Spitfires and Wombats began to coalesce, seemingly diving towards the glass dome. The protodrake's eyes glared with intense focus as its neck began to glow with blue energy. It slowly inhaled as the swarm neared.

Delsin began to frantically yell at himself. "10 SECONDS GODDAMNIT YOU SCALY BASTARD GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

As soon as the last word left his lips, the protodrake exhaled as it swung its head around, spraying black fire around and incinerating the Wombats. It leaps with such force and extends its wings like a turbine, shoving off the burnt corpses and the other survivors. As the KMCD was about to fire, the protodrake leaps down and lands its jaws on an enhanced Wretch that was about to ram through a crowd, chewing on it and ripping off its head clean off the shoulders, spine and all.

The KMCD's beam pushes through the air, zooming towards the Leviathan. Once again, the Leviathan tries to cover itself with its wings, but they burn on contact, forcing the monstrosity to take the laser's full force. The beam hits its left underbelly, completely severing one of the large tendrils. The appendage slowly falls to the ground and freezes, breaking into multiple splinters. The Leviathan tries to back away, flapping its wings towards the kingdom, but Aurora overcomes the winds, preventing the airborne ships to capsize. The KMCD dies down, and the Leviathan receives a large open gash below it, blood pouring out and spilling towards the demons.

Lesley aims with his sniper rifle and sees a few insect-like corpses falling out of the gash as well, apparently deceased. "Johnson, you seeing this?"

"The Leviathan's antibodies!" Johnson says. "Estes is performing the spell as we speak! Give them 15 more minutes and the KMCD's last shot is all we need!"

Meanwhile, the whole facility was beginning to falter as the KMCD's previous activation sparked up the consoles. Delsin coughs, trying to wipe off the smoke around him. "Augh, Royce?!"

"Delsin!" Royce called out, bringing the pulse rifles with him. "Did we hit it?"

"Yeah, yeah, left a nasty cut. We still need to aim for the head in the last shot. All we've been doing is buying Estes some time."

"The systems are lighting up, we need to know how much time we need for the final shot," Royce suggests. "I think we still need to wait for 30 minutes, but the demons… they're going to get in here by the minute!"

"May the Lords help us all," Delsin mutters, analyzing the conditions of the disruptor. If they fire the weapon one more time, the whole building they are in will collapse. The two will die in there. "C'mon, we need all the help we can get."

Meanwhile…

"Bless my beard, this is too much!" Franco breathes out, clinging to the ship. "It's moving around too much!"

Apparently, a few of the ships had to go off course now that the Leviathan is now about to close the distance between them.

"I think we're just pissing the bastard even more!" Bane says to Franco, clutching the wheel. "Wanna get down?!"

"NO! Not yet, for the love of Odin! We can still do some good crap here!" Franco shouts over the launching of the cannonballs to the Leviathan's head, trying to throw off its focus.

"Really? Is this how you wanna get shot?" Bane asks, fixing the ship's position. "Don't be thick-headed, even I don't wanna be in the air!"

A large tentacle from the Leviathan's right side stretches out towards the ship, trying to bring it down, but Grock swats it off with his huge tower. However, the tentacle begins to wrap itself around Grock's arm, trying to drag the titan with it.

"AGH! HUGE INSECT HAS ARM! GROCK HATES HUGE INSECT!" The titan groans, using his free arm to rip the tentacle off. To prevent complications, the Leviathan shifts its body, using more momentum to throw Grock off the side. The titan receives a few seconds of air time before finally knocking down in the ground, shaking the earth. Both the army and the demons lost footing because of the fall. A pack of Hellhounds and Ravagers began to crawl on Grock, using their claws and teeth to rip off bits of the titan, but all they could do was leave scratches. Either way, it left the titan preoccupied, providing no support for the other sections of the army.

"Clear off the demons latching on Grock!" Hylos says, already charging through with Clint on his back, using his rifle. "The Leviathan is pushing too fast!"

"C'mon, you little geezers, come on!" Clint taunts, throwing sand grenades at a Wretch and shooting them, forcing the sand to sink into the beast's body. Hylos runs towards the Wretch as Clint yells, emptying the magazine of his rifle into the Wretch's skull. Clint stands up as Hylos ducks beneath the Wretch and shockingly jumps, pushing the Wretch's body upward with his arms. Clint jumps off of the centaur and walks on the midair Wretch, shooting more bullets at the Goblins that were jumping up towards him. He lands on Hylos' back as the two resume racing towards Grock.

Alpha arrives, landing on the lying titan and wiping off the demons around him. Beta shoots down the other demons coming towards the cyborg as Alpha spins around, driving the enemies off before charging at a Reaper, stabbing it completely. Unfortunately, a Hellhound jumps on Alpha, impeding his assault. Even more began to jump on the cyborg, but Grock forcibly rises, sending them plummeting to the ground. Grock swipes off a large horde of Ravagers, but some latched onto his arm. He tries to shake it off, stomping on other demons in the process, but more began to cling to his body and he was forced down again. A Tesla tower begins to charge to try and clear them off, but a Spitfire kamikazes through it, destroying the sentry. The collision made a chain reaction within before finally exploding, the splinters flying off to the avenues and into the infrastructure.

"Goddamnit, it's too much!" Alucard heaves, throwing a body of a Hellhound towards a Wretch before teleporting toward it, cutting off the Wretch's lower jaw and stabbing the Wretch's head through the upper jaw. "We need to clear! We need to clear!" He doesn't notice a Shadowbringer snarling towards him, sinking its teeth into his demonic arm. Alucard grunts, but apparently the Shadowbringer retreats, its teeth broken. The hunter was astonished to see that his arm didn't receive a scratch. He shrugs before reuniting with Tigreal.

"Grock is being overrun. We won't stand a chance!" the knight says, stabbing a Ravager over and over as it tried to flail its body at him. "The airborne is focusing on the sentries in the kingdom!"

"The protodrake?!" Alucard asks. "Where is it?"

"I haven't seen it, it was in the air!" Irithel answers back, riding on Leo. The smilodon pounces on a Reaper that was clawing at Hilda. Irithel empties her crossbow, killing the demon. "I… damn, running out of arrows."

In the far ends of the walls, more demons began to pour into the underground, finally reaching into the kingdom. The civilians on standby, however, were already prepared as they shot down the horde. A Bastion blocks one of the entrances, pushing off the Shadowbringers as a Strider swipes them around. Suddenly, a Wretch bursts through, trampling on the Strider and Bastion. An Archimedian traps the Wretch as one of Lapu's tribesmen proceeded to slash and stab on its legs, immobilizing it.

"Running out of time to protect the weapon!" the Archimedian says. She spots one of the manned turrets on the wall turning towards the Wretch, finally neutralizing the enemy before the gunner gets mauled by a Hellbat. "We need to fall back! All of you! Fall back!"

The civilians retreated into the next boundary, some still shooting down a few more demons. They began expending their ammunition, but the more they kill, the more enter.

Meanwhile, Rafaela blinds a group of Stalkers with a flash of bright light. Natalia sneaks up behind them and tears them to ribbons, sprinting off towards Tigreal. Suddenly, a Ravager charges into her, using its arms to pin her to the ground. It frantically strikes at her but its claws were locked with Natalia's. The assassin struggles to shake it off and finds Saber rushing towards them. She kicks the demon into the air as Saber's swords finish it off.

The cyborg beckons the other heroes. "All of you, on me! Push them back! No matter what, push them back!" Saber eyes huge ice boulders materializing from thin air, falling towards the swarms. They land on the new wave of demons before being followed by a volley of mortar shells and artillery from the Sky Raptors. The heroes charge towards the smoke expecting the demons recuperating, but a line of Wretches surprise them, knocking a few down. Cyclops shakes his head, cosmic projectiles around him as Balmond pushes the mage off before facing a Wretch.

"More and more are coming. We cannot stop this," the orc grunts, chopping down the Wretch's legs, barely missing its jaws. "We cannot push them more!"

"We need to try!" Bruno motivates. "20 more minutes on the KMCD!"

"That's not enough!" Akai complains, jumping out to get behind. "Frogger here is worried! He says we will be dead if we don't retreat!"

"If we retreat, we lose!" Kagura points out. "The formation is already losing ground! Aurora is most definitely wearing out!"

"Goddamnit," Hayabusa grumbles. "Blade's going dull, can't clean… Shadow Kill!" The ninja disappears through the shadows, cutting down the Morphlings appearing behind the Wretches. He teleports away and disappears again, driving the Wretches off with a flurry of slashes. Suddenly, an enhanced Wretch stops, eyeing the movement of the ninja. It begins to speed up towards one of its brethren, preparing to swipe with its arm. Minotaur sees this.

"HAYABUSA! STOP!" the hybrid bellows, using all fours to race towards the shadow. The Wretch roars to attack, and Minotaur reaches just in time to take its full force, sending both Hayabusa and him to the ground.

The Wretch begins to loom around the heroes with many more of its kind, snarling at them. Alucard begins to use his right arm, but senses a surge of energy going towards them. His mind rang.

" _HOLD ON! HOLD OOOOONNNN! WE'RE COMIIIING!"_

The heroes run backwards as they bait the beasts. Gossen throws his dagger towards a Spitfire and dashes towards it, escaping faster. He sees Johnson and Zhao racing through, the spearman apparently on fire. Johnson crashes into the enhanced Wretch, and Miya jumps off, shooting arrows in midair.

"TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!" Karina scolds. "WE ARE DYING OUT HERE!"

Miya didn't say a word as she kept nocking arrows and making them fly, hitting more demons. Zhao runs from behind her, his armor slowly transforming.

"COME GET SOME!" Zhao yells as he bursts through the enhanced Wretch like a drill. He comes out from the other end and slashes sideward, releasing an arc of fire around the demons, forcing them back. The heroes began to advance as Zhao spun his spear around, the tongues of fire being shot around the demons while incinerating a few. A Shadowbringer leaps and Zhao easily stabs it in the air, then throws his spear on the proximity of the Morphlings. The weapon hits the ground and incinerates a conical area in front of it as Zhao picks it up and begins his assault again.

"The power of the Dragon within Zhao," Gatotkaca begins. "I've never seen such awe-inspiring beauty." He pounds his fists before leaping. He yells as he pounds down on another Wretch. Gatotkaca lifts it up with his arms and furiously throws it to a group of Reapers, knocking them down like bowling pins. "C'mon, a little more time!"

Freya dives from the sky and crashes through the Hellhounds. As she was carried away by the momentum, she puts her shield below her and raises her sword, spinning around as she scrambled the enemies that tried to get close to her. Eudora unleashes a lightning bolt from her hands, hastily arcing around the demons and stunning them. The heroes gained the upper hand as they pushed them off in desperation.

The ships above kept firing at the Leviathan, distracting it. The monstrosity has already wiped nearly 50% of the airborne troops, but it was considerably slowed.

"C'mon, sack of organs!" Bane mutters in his mouth. "Done with your stinkin'! Why won't you just die already?!"

The Sky Raptors appeared with the ships, concentrating their fire. The assault was now focused on the Leviathan's head, most especially its remaining eyes. The beast covers itself with its wings and ducks its head to cover itself. It then spots the heroes easily fighting off the ground forces with the help of Miya and Zhao. The beast stops in the air.

"Stay still," Franco whispers. "Goddamnit, stay still for once!" The ships and the jets stop firing, the Leviathan's eyes trained on them. The monster stopped, and they were wondering why. Then Yi Sun Shin sees one of its tentacles raised, preparing to attack.

The ships immediately retreated in haste, thinking that the Leviathan would disable them instantly once they get hit. Suddenly, the tentacle slams downward, striking the ground near the army.

"NO!" Fanny shouts. "GUYS, GET OUT OF THERE NOW!"

Gord sees another one of the Leviathan's left tendrils rearing as well, and the group falls back as it strikes downward again. The Leviathan's eyes were trained on the heroes below, and its body began to push forward again, catching the airborne troops unawares. A group of Spitfires clung to one of the Sky Raptors and ripped off one of its engines, the debris falling towards Lesley. Johnson goes up front and blocks the junk with his shield, but the momentum forces both him and the sniper backward, and in a desperate attempt, Johnson grabs Lesley and transforms into a car.

"Crap, the jets need to stay off!" Johnson exclaims. "Come on, stay back!"

Zhao was the one to retreat last, and the stronger horde of demons followed him, a few incinerating from his flaming trail. Gossen threw more daggers, keeping the demons back, but he was forced to grab onto Saber as he nearly gets caught by one of the Wretch's eager hands. In the distance, Grock has risen, still unscathed, and he yells in frustration as he jumps, seeking to slam his tower in the Leviathan's side. Suddenly, the tentacles grabbed him by the arms. The monster's body shook around, putting Grock in a daze before finally throwing him away…

Before finally throwing him away towards the army.

"OH, BULLOCKS!" Franco exclaimed, looking down. "By the gods, that thing nearly threw Grock towards the army! The formation is broken!"

"Turn back! Don't stop firing!" Bane orders, pointing his sword at the Leviathan. The beast growls in arrogance as it began pushing forward. One of the Sky Raptors lost control due to the demons around it, and it hits the Leviathan's carapace, exploding. "Lords, save us."

The other heroes on the ground lost their footing due to Grock's hard landing. The dust and smoke around slowly picked up and cleared as the demons were closing the distance between them.

"Argh, my chest hurts," Lolita groans, trying to stand. She fails as she clutches her side, which was bleeding. "I think… We can still go on…"

"No… we're done for," Lapu-Lapu wheezes, wafting the dust away from him. His leg was injured and his arms ached. "How much more time?"

"Fifteen…" a voice says. Layla was supported by Clint as she received a concussion from her fall. "We can't survive fifteen."

Alucard pants, looking at the horde coming towards them. In less than a minute, they'd be toast. He feels the growth slowly creeping up towards his chest. In desperation, Alucard outstretches his hand and recalls the greatsword back to him, powering him up.

"Alucard, don't!" Rafaela warns, frantically casting healing spells around the group. The army struggles to fix their formation as the horde closes in. "You can't!"

"No one can help us, and this is the only way!" Alucard replies. "This is the… only way."

Hayabusa forces himself to stand, stancing himself with his blade. "Doesn't matter if half are out cold here. At least I can still fight…"

"C'mon," Zhao urges, Miya behind him. His fiery aura was dying out and his armor returned to normal. "This is too early…"

Saber hovers above them as the other heroes stood up, tired or injured. The Leviathan was closing in and as soon as the KMCD is ready to fire, it would have already breached the walls. Half of the airborne ships were taken down already, and no Sky Raptor was in sight. The kingdom was slowly giving in to the mishap, groups of demons already entering the underground systems.

"No place to die," Alucard mutters as the power of the greatsword slowly overcame him. "NO PLACE TO DIE!"

He reared to prepare for his fission wave, his weapon glowing with sinister maroon. Then suddenly, a large ray of light appeared in front of them, and inside it was a large downward kinetic force. Something was being recalled. _Someone_ was being recalled.

Alucard backed down in astonishment as the ray of light slowly dissipates, revealing a familiar bronze figure right in front of the group.

"RAAAAHHHHHHH! LEAVE NOW, INTRUDERS!"

Bruno realized what was happening.

"YEEEEEEESSSSSSS!"

Uranus charges up, yellow energy erupting inside him as he strikes a Wretch with his palm, sending its body skidding towards the other demons. In a flash, more rays of light began to appear around the vicinity, some even reaching the kingdom. Out of them, gold and brass warriors emerged with electrified blades and white wings, clashing with the demons with swift strikes. Uranus smacks a Reaper down before punching away the Ravagers pouncing at him. More and more demons began to crowd the guardian, but he remains unfazed, the dents appearing on his body immediately recuperating and being undone. As he slammed the last Ravager to the ground, he was uninjured.

"Are all of you alright?!" he calls out, worried. "I'm sorry it took us too long!"

The heroes stood up in confidence and sides with Uranus as another wave of demons began emerging. The last ray of light appears next to Uranus, and out came Kaja, holding his whip.

"We will not let you die here!" the Nazar king announces. "Screw the Lords! We shall do what is necessary. NAZAR!"

By the dozen, the Nazar slowly herded around, bringing out their blades.

Kaja looks behind the others. "All of you! Do what you must! Defend the Land of Dawn! FOR THE LIGHT!"

" **FOR THE LIGHT!"**

Johnson immediately transforms, escorting Cyclops, Harley and Nana inside. Minotaur shrugs off his wounds and roars, intimidating the demons that were far off in the distance. Everyone else prepared their weapons again as they see their injuries miraculously healing. It turns out Alucard hasn't let go of his sword just yet.

"How many are there, Kaja? Your men?"

"All of them, boy. Consider this our thank you."

"For what?"

"For reminding us what's worth the most." Kaja strikes his whip to the ground, arcs of lightning sparking around. "Uranus, let us commence!"

The guardian raises his fist into the air before finally charging, glowing discs spinning around him. He speeds up as the enemies grew in number, snarling at cawing back at them.

Grock stands up and bellows. "ALL OF THESE DEMONS WILL GET BASHED! FOR MY PEOPLE!" He charges straight towards the Leviathan and slams his tower to its face, forcing the Leviathan to rear up and back away.

Kaja gathers his Nazar as they charge their weapons. The other heroes gained a new hope as they ran straight to their enemy without fear.

The Nazar King zooms ahead of Uranus, preparing his whip. "There is nowhere for all of you to run… NOWHERE LEFT TO HIDE!" As he finished his threat, he snags the nearest Wretch with his whip, a ball of lightning encasing the demon, before throwing it to his warriors for them to kill it in midair.

Meanwhile…

"There, almost done," the captain reminds as one of the medics place the last bomb. "All that's left is the detonation and the sphincter. Argus, you're up." He throws the last Widowmaker depth charge to Argus, which he easily catches. "When set, you have 10 seconds."

"Thank you," Argus replies. "All of you need to get out, now. We can't stay here. The sphincter's movements indicate the coming of the next emergence."

The demolition team quietly nods as they check their gear. Lancelot looks above and eyes a Spitfire creepily staring at them from one of the naturally made bridges. It screeches in response and tries to fly off, but one of the soldiers shot it down with his silenced rifle.

"Let's hustle, it may have warned more," the shooter said. One of the members have already hooked herself to one of the lines and climbed up, hastily stepping on the partially fleshy walls of the structure. The others grabbed on the other lines while the remaining wait for their turn. Argus picks Odette up and puts her into one of the bridges as he returns to get Lancelot.

"Lance, is there something wrong?" Argus asks, hinting the knight's nervousness. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright… but I have this bad feeling that we are being watched. Like, many things staring at us," Lancelot remarked. "Something is off."

"No demons in sight, we're clear to move," the captain says. "Nothing on the radar, thermal, sonar, anything, not even abstracts or something of the kind, but the blond is right. This doesn't look promising."

Most of the demolition team has now reached the upper levels and began to walk on the crevices, briskly squeezing themselves out. It took a good minute for them to reach the opening that led back to the staircase outside.

"Argus, whenever you are ready," the heavy gunner says. "I suggest all guns trained in different directions."

The team activates their lasers on their weapons, focused in the different openings and crevices they've found. The anticipation builds as Argus stands on the edge of the bridge, ready to drop the last charge in time. The sphincter's internal structure begins to glow but in a slower rate than usual.

"What's he waiting for?" the captain asks.

"For something to come out. We need to clear this whole zone, 100%," one of the recruits hypothesized. "We can't leave a trace."

Argus looks down and begins the countdown. "Captain, set off the bombs on three."

"Roger."

The angel faces Lancelot and Odette, motioning them to go to with the team. The duo nods and sprints towards the soldiers, when suddenly, a large yellow eye suddenly opened, originating from the wall adjacent to the team.

"WOAH WOAH!" Lancelot reacts, nearly falling off. "Everyone, company!"

Argus turns to their location and spots another yellow eye opening slightly northeast of the first. Two by two, more yellow eyes appeared around the walls, slowly contorting to express their anger at the intruders.

"All units, fire at will!" the captain orders. A volley of pulse energy is shot around, trying to burst the eyes out. "ARGUS! I'M DETONATING THE CHARGES NOW!"

One of the soldiers didn't notice the human-like arm that was slowly jutting out from below the ledge they were in. It grabbed him by the leg and caught him unawares, and without difficulty, throws him out to the bottom to fall, landing with a loud thud. Even more arms, hundreds of them, began to spawn out around the walls, filling the surface area that the yellow eyes didn't cover, and they flailed aimlessly, trying to find something to grab on. The captain presses the button and the charges begin to detonate.

Twenty seconds.

Argus flies around the interior as the team begins to wiggle their way back onto the staircase. He hovers around and stays clear of the bridges and the walls, the eyes following him around. He hovers above the sphincter and initiates the detonation procedure.

"Come on… Make this work," he mutters. He was about to flick the switch until an elongated, multi-jointed arm grabs him by one of his wings. More arms began to grow out of proportion and they reached out to Argus to keep him in place. One of them grabbed his helmet and tried to yank one of the horns, but Argus pushes his head forward and cuts the arms down with his sword.

"Get… GET OFF!" Argus yells as he unleashes his aura, driving the desperate arms away from him. As soon as he flicks the switch on the charge, one of the eyes ruptured into a mass of yellow pus and viscera as one of the Widowmaker charges begin to collapse the wall. A few more begin to burst as the sphincter glowed, the shadows of multiple demons coming out of the canal. Argus pushes upward as fleshy boulders began to fall, the arms still alive and swinging around. He cuts down one that fell as he flaps his wings harder, barely reaching the end. Half of the Reservoir's structure has now collapsed, and the boulders have covered the sphincter. After a few seconds, a muffled _BOOM!_ shook the ground below the rocks, indicating the detonation of the charge inside the sphincter.

Argus swerves and sees the other members on the undemolished portion of the staircase, just a few stories above the ground. They kept going down until the captain meets a Ravager growling at them. The demon begins to charge, but Odette throws it off with one of her spells. The Ravager survives the fall, but Argus lands down and stabs it to the ground, preventing it from rising.

"Is everyone alright?" Argus asks to the demolition team.

"Now, that's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen," the heavy gunner updates. "Still, we need to get out of here. The big bad probably heard us from way over there."

A random collection of shrieks and growls were heard. The group looks beyond and sees a swarm of Hellhounds and Reapers running towards their location.

"Lance, Odette, go with the group and follow the route!" Argus says. "I'll deal with the demons."

Lancelot doesn't agree with the idea. "Argus, no! You can't take them all alone!"

"But can you?! I will be fine, it will not be long before I get back! Now go!"

The lovers sprint off in a rather random direction, but this was the designated route Estes told them to go, which was through and out the plains and back into the battlefield. However, the distance was too far away.

Give or take, 24 kilometers.

No, not kidding. They have to run 24 kilometers. The corruption also prevents Estes from conjuring spells for them. It's an uneven situation. I mean, they can do it. They can run that far, but to actually make it with all the hostiles around? Therein lies the rub.

Most of the soldiers have begun following the two, except the captain, who gave his final words to the fallen angel.

"We'll do what we can. They'll get out alive!" he assured. "Kill the bastards. We're counting on you." The captain now runs to the group and catches up.

Argus turns his head towards the horde, but the demons were focused on the runaway group. Argus flies and swiftly lands on their way, impeding their chase.

"If you want to get to them, you'll have to go through me first!"

Meanwhile…

"Estes is nearly finished!" Uranus announced, ripping a Ravager's body in two and throwing the halves to a Wretch. "He will need immediate assistance!" The guardian hovers speedily towards the Wretch, and the demon sought to fight back by trying to clamp its jaws on Uranus' body. However, he easily holds them back and conjures two light discs around him, slicing the jaws away before he snapped them outward.

"The airborne are decreasing," Alpha says, lowering his altitude. "But… That's not good. Three of them are back."

"Wait, what did you just say?!" Miya exclaims. She lands on a rock and zooms in with her bow. Alpha was right. Alice, Helcurt and Zhask were in the battlefield with a group of Shadowbringers and Kastiyans, but their defense was scattered instead of focused. "Crap. We need to split their numbers, they're not grouped. Where's Grock?!"

Seemingly in response, Grock hopped and stomped his foot on the ground, causing massive shockwaves to the demons. As he landed, he slammed the base of his tower to the ground, and a tall wall of dirt was created around the 2.6 kilometer mark, preventing the other demons from following Alice and the others.

"All of you, go!" Kaja commands, lashing his whip at a horde of Morphlings, three of his men around him. "We will buy you all the time! Protect the weapon!"

"I'm not leaving!" Alucard retorts. "Who's going to help Estes and the hunters?!"

Saber answers back. "Alu, we have enough ships to take it down! You don't need to-"

"I'm not buying that crap, Saber! You know that around a half dozen are the only ones there! The demons have broken into the kingdom and are taking down our defensive structures! Not even you nor Fanny nor even Freya can reach the Leviathan before being crushed by that thing!"

"There is no more alternative!" Hilda grunts, chucking a Morphling's body before curb-stomping a Hellhound's skull. "It's only the king and the hunters there, boy. Aurora is spent in trying to push it back!"

"We can still block the three… b-but, where's Vexana?" Kagura asks. It looked as if she was perspirating. "Damn it, where's Haya?"

Suddenly, the ninja appears in a puff of black wisps in front of Kagura, his armor stained with blood. "What is it?"

"The change…" Kagura clutched Haya's shoulder, her knees buckling. A purple aura slowly began to intensify around her.

"K-Kagura?!" Hayabusa questions in awe. "Guys, stay back!"

A group of Reapers began to advance on the duo. As they reached out their hands, a bright flash of magenta light blinded them, and a fuchsia umbrella appeared, chaining the Reapers in purple links before crushing them in a singularity. A body teleports within the umbrella and Kagura forces the demons away. A Wretch begins to charge at the mage, but Kagura summons the umbrella and makes it revolve around her, driving the beast away from her. Akai leaps from the side and lands onto the Wretch, slapping it with his stick as the umbrella lacerates the demon all around. Kagura's physical appearance has changed, her hair sporting a silver hue with a light purple accent. Her clothing has also changed, her kimono turned purple and fuchsia instead of blue, a knot tied on her waist. She speeds up the umbrella as the Wretch slowly gets shredded into a goopy mess.

"That's the worst," she mutters. She looks back at Hayabusa and the others. "What?"

"You look different," a voice answers. Zhao arrives in the scene, and his ponytail was slightly frizzy. "Almost didn't recognize you from afar."

Beta begins to blip around Alpha. "Hey, heads up. Johnson has a surprise."

The heroes back away as Johnson arrives, drifting as he slams towards the Morphlings in a hurry. As he transformed back, a dozen of missiles were launched and detonates on the next oncoming horde, turning them into a pile of smithereens.

"You still haven't covered that," Akai says, pointing towards the swarm of Spitfires clouding overhead.

"Ninja dude is gonna clear them out," Johnson replies. "That's why I brought this package."

"What package?" Suddenly, gold and silver parts detached from Johnson's back and traveled to Hayabusa. Pieces of them began to lock onto his body, slowly forming some type of armor set. "Nice…"

Hayabusa looks up at the swarm and readies his shurikens, and was surprised to see them become silver, with a kunai pouch on his leg as well. He throws them with stunning speed, preventing Freya from being bombarded by the Spitfires.

"Saber!"

"Got you." The cyborg unlocks his swords and they slashed in the air in a flurry, slicing the other demons. Half of them began to revolve around Hayabusa to protect him, more bits of armor attaching to him. "Shadow Kill, now."

Hayabusa sheathes his blade and disappears into the dark, and multiple shadow clones of him appeared out of nowhere, slashing down the remaining Spitfires. Even some have thrown the new kunai.

"I've given us some time," Johnson reminds. "We need to get to Cyclops, they're in trouble."

Alucard hops in first as Johnson transforms back into a car, driving around the zone and looking for the mage.

"Aren't those three around and about together?!" Alucard asks, shouting over the explosions and the Leviathan's roars. "Ask Lesley!"

"Busy with the Sharpshooters!"

"Eudora?"

"With the Archi-thingies!"

"What about-"

"EVERYBODY IS TIRED SO HANG ON THE HANDLES AND BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Johnson revs the engine and smashes onto a Wretch, knocking it down before he transforms. Alucard wasted no time and threw his sword straight at its head before recalling it back. He blocks a Kastiyan's projectile and teleports towards the shooter, cutting the alien in half.

"Alu! Alu!" Cyclops calls out, hiding behind a large rock. "Must say something!"

"WAIT! Johnson, cover!"

The cyborg extends his shield and defends Alucard from the oncoming Kastiyan fire. Alucard reaches the rock, nearly hit by a projectile, the dust covering his face. "Cyc… what's-"

"I know! I know!" the mage squeaked, trying to reach for his hourglass. "I know how they… Lancelot and her, can be saved!"

"Wait wait wait, calm down, you're saying that you know how Lance and Odette lives?" Alucard asked over the commotion. "How?"

"You n-need… let the big thing hit the wall! Make it hit the wall!"

"WHAT?! CYCLOPS, THAT'S THE VERY THING WE DON'T-"

"Vexana…"

Alucard scrunches his eyebrows. "Vex- What about Vexana?"

"She knows! The demon house is gone and she knows! Big monster retreats and the other demons retreat, and they will-"

"Respond against the demolition team earlier," the Hunter interrupts. "No… No, damn it, is there another way?! There… There has to be-"

"Only way! Only way, Alu! Cyclops… Cyclops doesn't want you to blame yourself! You feel them die, your mind tells you."

"Shut it, okay… There has to be another way! There is!" Alucard pops out from behind the rock and immediately ducks, because the Kastiyans have begun firing at him as soon as he emerged. "Ah, crap. We can't get out, Johnson is a sitting duck. We… I need to get to the titan. Only a few minutes left!"

Alucard sees Harley and Gossen rushing towards them. The assassin throws a set of daggers to the Kastiyans and recalls them as they hit their targets.

"We're pulling Cyclops out," Harley began. "Gossen, stay with Alucard!"

Gossen nods and turns to Alucard. "Hey, what's the sitch?"

"No one else can get to the Leviathan. Uranus and the Nazar are here but they will keep Alice and the other whackjobs at bay. I need to reach the Leviathan's wound. Can't teleport or do anything with the hysteria above."

"Hmm… We'll need Fanny and Saber," Gossen notes.

Alucard looks above the sky, covered in black and grey specks. He looks at Gossen's dagger and glances at his own greatsword. Screw it… I have a better idea."

Meanwhile, Grock has begun fighting the Leviathan, the tower miraculously intact despite making contact with the huge demon several times. The monstrosity begins to wrap two of its tentacles on Grock, but the titan uses his free arm and strikes its head with his tower, trying to faze it in order to break free.

"STUPID BUG! SMASH BY GROCK!"

Two long arcs of lightning curve around Grock and hit the Leviathan, causing it to shudder for a moment before slowing down. Three Sky Raptors flew overhead and launched rockets at the Leviathan before flowing off, one of them barely missing the snapping jaws.

"Grock, get out of there! Around six minutes before the KMCD fires!" Saber shouts, half of his swords floating around him as he prepares the next lure. Before he could hover peacefully, a swarm of Spitfires attempted to latch at Saber, flapping their bat wings frantically. Saber launches more of his swords and they revolved around him to drive the demons off. He activates the lure and a few of the Leviathan's eyes began to focus at him.

"Come on, son of a gun. Come on."

He turns tail but one of the tentacles grabbed him by the foot, pulling him closer. Two more from the Leviathan's left side appeared and reeled near Saber as the Leviathan prepared to crush and give the cyborg a home run. Before it could attack, Grock uppercuts the Leviathan, making the tentacles coil back and let go of Saber. He zooms toward the back, letting the last of Bane's ships distract the beast.

"Running out of flak!" One of Bane's crewmen called out. "Almost out of flak!"

"Barnacles… Saber! Are you alright there?" The Pirate Lord calls out, covering his ears. "Took quite a few dents there, chum."

Saber glances at his arms and torso, some of the ends of the metal slightly crumpled. "I'll heal, but I'm not going anywhere near that thing anymore."

"We're nearly spent, and- Dear Neptune, what is that?" Bane opens his periscope and looks. "Isn't that the Demon boy?"

Saber rose and scanned the area. He sees Gossen and Alucard hopping through the air with their weapons, using the Spitfires and Hellbats to climb up. Gossen launches one of his daggers and skyrockets upward, grabbing on Alucard. He throws the Demon Hunter, and Alucard recalls his greatsword, throwing it above and hitting a Hellbat.

"Adrenaline junkies, the hell are they doing?" the cyborg mutters. "Going back out."

Fanny flew next to Saber. "Hey, Alucard needs to reach the hole!"

"The tentacles are around, we need to clear those down. Status on Argus and the team?"

"I heard they were going back here," Alpha replies, gripping his spear. "Beta says we won't prevail unless the jets are here, but they need to refuel!"

"Then we will act as replacement."

The three turn around to see Kaja and a hundred of his Nazar flying next to them. "Men, shield Alucard and the assassin. I will join these three."

The Nazar dives downward and flies toward Alucard and Gossen. One of them grabs Alucard's arm and throws him higher while the others fly around them and protect them with their bodies. One of the Leviathan's tendrils swung, and the whole group dodges it without suffering casualties.

"THIS IS FUN, BUT I'M NOT DOING THIS AGAIN!" Alucard shouts to Gossen.

"YOUR IDEA, NOT MY PROBLEM!"

Gossen runs out of demons and begins to shoot his daggers below, the throwing force nudging him upward before he becomes assisted by a fellow Nazar. Suddenly, one of the beast's tendrils whacks it off, dragging Gossen with him.

"AGH, GET… GET OFFA ME!" Gossen randomly throws a dagger to a Spitfire but the velocity was too much for him to overcome. In the corner of his eye, Kaja reaches his hand and catches him, making them stop in mid-air.

"I have you."

"Don't mind me, bird man! Help Alu! The tendrils are shaking 'em off!"

Meanwhile, the number of Nazar began to decrease as the tendrils began to swat them away, forcing them to scatter and prevent Alucard from going farther. Two of the tendrils began to wrap itself around the Hunter, but Alucard pushes upwards and begins to walk on one of them, rushing towards the Leviathan with his sword raised.

"I'm not backing away, big guy. I'M NOT LETTING YOU PASS!"

One of the free tendrils swatted towards Alucard, but he jumps above it and falls. He throws his sword towards it and teleports easily. However, the tentacle he formerly walked on whacked him back. He skids backwards, nearly falling. The tentacle rises, and Alucard stabs it with his greatsword, hoping for the best.

"I'M NOT LETTING GO! YOU HEAR ME?! NEVER!"

" _It's the Leviathan. Sure, the corruption isn't going to affect you or boost the demonization process, but it will immediately strengthen your urge to kill it!"_

Alucard slowly gained more sense. _"This thing… it's pushing me off the edge, my brain hurts…"_

"Alucard, jump off!" a voice cried out. Freya, Alpha, Saber, Fanny and Kaja begun to fly faster, trying to catch Alucard. The Hunter uses his demonic arm and latches onto the skin, causing it to bleed. The Leviathan grunts in pain, Alucard's power seemingly hurting it further than expected. The tentacle began to jerk uncontrollably, trying to shake Alucard off. It swerves and slams Fanny, Alpha and Freya down, and the three fall unconscious.

"NO! NOOOOO!" Alucard shouts, trying lift himself higher, but the tentacle travels back to him and swats him downward. He receives a severe concussion and falls to the ground, unconscious. The greatsword that was still lodged onto one of the tentacles was wrapped around by it, fortifying the theory that the Leviathan was smart enough to not let Alucard recover.

"Alucard!" Kaja and Saber call out, flying downward, but a group of Hellbats throw them off course and block their way. "We need to get around, Kaja!"

"GROCK IS COMING! GROCK IS COMING!" The titan calls out, trying to use his right hand and catches the first three, but before he could catch Alucard, the Leviathan clamps its jaws on the titan's left arm. Grock bellows in pain, trying to open the monstrosity's mouth, but it was sealed shut. The Leviathan wriggles around and pulls off Grock's arm CLEAN OFF THE SHOULDER.

Let me just tell you right now that if you were witnessing that crap physically, like, if you were there, I'd bet twenty bucks that you'd be absolutely boned. To the maximum. I mean, I'm boned. The army's boned. Things took a turn to the worse.

Grock vocalizes his distress, dropping to the ground. He didn't spurt out blood from his wound, but it was clear enough that the sudden dismemberment hurt a lot. The Leviathan throws the arm away and crashes onto a section of the main wall, the ballistae and cannons falling apart. Below, the demons began to rush, pushing on the spearhead formation harder and racing for the collapsed wall.

On the ground, Uranus and Zhao have been fighting off Alice and Helcurt, driving them off and preventing them from joining the other demons.

Alice sidesteps, backing away from Zhao's strike and laughing maniacally. "Look, boy! Your precious walls are broken! Did you really think you can fight against the Leviathan?!"

"You belittle their faith, Alice," Uranus lashes back, concentrating his energy and heals his injuries quickly. "Arrogance _is_ your undoing! For what? Power?!"

" _She s-s-seeks to prove h-h-h-herself! She w-w-was inferior!"_ Helcurt hissed.

"Because Argus surpassed you!" Zhao shouts, using his hand to wiped the blood from his spear. "You're just jealous, you slimy h-"

He flies backward from Alice's blast, and Uranus jumps to catch Zhao. He grabs Zhao and helps him up, but Helcurt jumps on Uranus and stabs him on the back with his tail. Uranus grunts and falls on his back, slamming Helcurt to the ground. The Shadowbringer blinks away and chuckles.

" _Tsk tsk tsk… The guardian… Y-Y-You should've arrived earlier!"_

Meanwhile…

"DELSIN!"

"THREE MINUTES!"

A group of demons have began ramming through the doors as Royce wields the two pulse rifles on each of his arms. "Just last longer… Please, just…"

"DON'T GIVE UP! THE BARRICADE WILL HOLD!"

A Ravager's head peeked and Royce shot it down. However, two more heads began to claw on the other side of the doors, trying to grab the chain. Royce pulled the trigger on the rifles and the demons melted from the heat. However, the barricade was giving way.

"DELSIN!"

"ALMOST THERE! ALMOST- Wait… what is that?"

Delsin uses his binoculars and looks at the portion of the sky below the Leviathan. He notices two of the tentacles wrapping around each other, blood dripping below them. Suddenly, a foreign object burst from the knot, severing the ends of the tentacles. Delsin notices that it is a greatsword, and it was slowly burning like a comet entering the atmosphere.

"What in the name of-"

" _Not even your powers can put it down, unless you're that willing to give it your all. The temptation will work its way inside your head, and not even your friends would stop your undesired rampage."_

The greatsword's handle makes contact with Alucard's right arm before the other free tentacles reach his unconscious body. Suddenly, a sheer wave of heat pushes upward, startling the Leviathan. It peers down and grows nervous, seeing the tiny speck it just threw down already burning.

Alucard gains back his consciousness, and as his aura grew stronger, his clothes began to change into black, his greatsword back into a flaming reaper. He slowly hovers into the air, the tentacles trying to fight the aura, but more and more waves of heat push it back, nearly burning them.

The hunter screams in rage as his aura intensified, the other demons in the vicinity flying outward from him. On his back, two jets of fire sprouted and burst into great magnitude. More and more tongues of flame conjoined until a pair of fiery wings were fashioned out, flapping around.

" **YOU WILL CEASE NOW!"**

Alucard flies and reaches Mach 4, striking the Leviathan's carapace with such force that the Leviathan's whole body reared from the impact. The tentacles rose and tried to reach around Alucard, but he lets go of the greatsword. It flies with incredible speed and chops off one of them, cauterizing the wound instantly. It revolves around Alucard once before reaching back to his arm. Alucard aimed for the small chink on the front end of the Leviathan's backbone that he notices and dives to it, stabbing the weakness deep within. His eyes flared even more as he pushed his greatsword even farther to the point that the blade was barely even visible. The Leviathan roared in pain, the individual plates on its back slowly sinking due to the strength of the puncture. Alucard rises and grips on the ground, flapping his wings back. The greatsword gets forcibly pulled, cutting through the tough skin. The Leviathan's back begins to split open, and the beast vocalizes, helplessly wriggling around but Alucard doesn't budge away. The Leviathan's antibodies begin to burst out of the wound, but before they could run to Alucard, they burned from the searing heat and some had to retreat. Some of the armor plates next to the greatsword began to melt and glow from the flames as Alucard began pulling at a decent speed. He hovers above the ground and willfully pulls the greatsword telekinetically, yet he growls in frustration as if he was pulling a five ton object. Alice flies behind him and tries an ambush, but the hunter turns around and grabs her by the neck before slamming back down to the Leviathan.

"DON'T HURT MY PETS!" Alice cries out. "DON'T YOUR DARE HURT THEM!"

Alucard's response? With his free demonic arm, he willfully pulls the greatsword closer to them, worsening the cut.

"WAIT, STOP!"

Alucard pauses, looking fiercely at Alice, but says not a word.

"We know about those two little snowflakes… You think you can get away with destroying one of many hives? Idiots! The Leviathan has done its part! You will fall into shambles!"

Alucard clenches his hands. "Then I'm bringing all of you along with us!" He wills lands down and grips the greatsword before sprinting on the Leviathan, yelling. Alice shrieks as she dives down to stop Alucard, but the hunter slices the greatsword upward, the flames seemingly stretching towards the tail of the beast. As the line of fire hit the end, the whole cut slowly split open, releasing a massive swarm of antibodies being burnt to a crisp. Alice's body receives the full force of the flaming slash, and she retreats, flying away to the other side of the battlefield. Alucard hovers upward and sees the shape of the heart of the Leviathan, covered in multiple symbols and wards due to Estes' chanting. He throws his greatsword and it punctures the heart, forcing it to bleed even more. The Leviathan began to spew viscera from its mouth.

Alucard lands on the platform next to the heart and finds most of the Hunters pinned by the surviving antibodies, some of them receiving fatal wounds. He recalls his greatsword back and unleashes a fiery wave, causing an explosive chain reaction on the demons and into the other organs.

"ALUCARD!" Estes exclaims, protecting the whole group with a stasis bubble. "Why are you here?!"

"FINISHING THE JOB!" Alucard runs past Estes and slashes the heart, forcing the Leviathan's body to jerk. He eyes Victor lying down next to Yinsen, his legs severed from the knees. "V-Victor? VICTOR!"

"Alu?! Alu! Victor… He… I didn't s-see…" Yinsen stammered, his hands stained with blood. "One of those things j-just grabbed him and…"

"Goddamnit, Victor!" Alucard mutters. "C'mon, old man, just breathe, we're getting out of-"

"No!" Victor cries, swatting away Alucard's hand. "I want to go out like this… Alucard-"

"DON'T SAY THAT! We can still save you!"

"N-no… I want to s-see… Isabelle…"

"All of you, we need to jump off, now!" Estes commands. Most of the hunters, including Yinsen, didn't think twice before jumping off the platform and floating inside Estes' protective bubbles. "Alucard, leave Victor alone!"

"NO GODDAMNIT HE CAN STILL LIVE! HE CAN STILL LIVE!"

"Kid… Kid… let me… let me go," Victor breathed out. "The whole place… it's gonna be hell in here, and I…will be fine… The Raptors can shoot this scumbag down along with me, as long as I see Isabelle…"

"N-No…"

"I… felt like… a good father, keeping you safe… T-Thank you… for giving me… this chance…"

"ALUCARD!"

The hunter's mind grew hazy, trying to decide on whether to save Victor or leave him. A thousand thoughts raced in his head. He cries out in rage and strikes the still beating heart, the fire already enveloping around it.

" **WHY WON'T YOU DIE! DIE, YOU DIRTBAG! JUST DIE ALREADY!"**

"ALUCARD!"

The sound of the Kinetic Disruptor's laser could be heard, echoing around. Alucard finally stabs the heart as its heartbeat stopped.

The laser strikes the Leviathan square on the forehead. It tries to cover itself with its wings, but the skin immediately burns off. The Leviathan slowly retreats, but a large, gray arm yanks it by the jaw.

"BUG… WILL… BE… SMASHED!"

Grock, miraculously alive and kicking, twists the Leviathan's jaw, dislocating it. He grabs his tower from the ground and leaps as he yelled in defiance, bringing his tower down to the Leviathan's skull. The whole structure began to crumble except for the blue crystal, which was lodged on the demon's cranium. The Leviathan stopped roaring and struggling as its eyes finally dilated and closed, the laser beginning to melt off the carapace.

"W-We d-did it…"

Delsin tries to find Royce amongst the rubble. He discovers his friend covered in dust, the whole roof basically pinning his legs.

"Royce… We killed the bastard…"

"Heheh… we knew it, bro…"

"Yeah… But, the whole building, it's gonna-"

"I know…But it was… so fun. So… terribly-"

The KMCD holding facility collapsed from top to bottom, the debris scattered around the avenues. A large fire brewed from atop the collapse, turning the bricks and the stone to char. The weapon is no more, but it has served its purpose.

The Leviathan begins to fall along with Grock, two of Bane's ships being nudged off. The Spitfires and Hellbats began to retreat, screeching in fear and disgust. The army quickly backs away in order to prevent from being crushed by the body, but thankfully, Grock was able to push off the Leviathan in the air with the help of Aurora's winds. The carcass slowly charred, but portions of it froze before shattering into splinters. Most of the demons on the ground fled alongside Helcurt and Zhask, and the arrogant few were easily slain.

"Where's Alucard?" Tigreal asks Kaja.

"We tried to get him off the Leviathan. He's alright, but I haven't seen him-"

Ruby interrupts. "Look! It's him!"

The heroes eye Alucard slowly falling down towards the ground, his arms and legs spread to slow his fall. Before he hit the ground, Estes casted a holographic net that caught the hunter. Alucard slowly bounced off and landed with both of his feet, but his knees immediately crumpled before he could stand.

"V-Victor… I couldn't…"

Chou rushes to his friend. "Alu?! Thank goodness, you're still- oh, fudge."

"What?"

Hylos slowly points at Alucard's arm. Alucard turns to his right and notices the growth. It has spontaneously spread, half of his torso already covered. The growth on his neck reached up to his face and nearly reached his right eye. A line of spikes and scales began to run down on his leg, covering his clothes, which reverted back to normal.

"I couldn't… I tried, I tried…"

Zhao tries to comfort him. "Alu, it's-"

"No, it's not! It's not okay… Tigreal! Lance… Lance and-"

The gilded knight was alerted. "Alucard, what are you trying to say? What about Lancelot?"

"We were too early," a voice replied. Cyclops emerged with Harley and Nana behind him. "There was a chance to save the two, but we were too early… If we didn't kill the big thing immediately, then-"

"They would still be alive?" Gord asks. "Cyclops… how early were we? We… I think we can still save them if we try and-"

"We can't," Estes interrupts. "I can't conjure portals to that place. The corruption strengthened. The only way they can get out of there is by foot. And my powers are slowly diminishing."

"Estes, you can't say that!" Karina retorted. "That's Lancelot and Odette and Argus! Valuable allies!"

"I know, Karina, and I say the same to all of you."

"Don't say that," Hayabusa rejects. He looked completely different. His whole face was covered by a fierce silver mask, his blond hair long and rising up, flowing as if there was wind blowing upwards. His katana glowed with an orange light. "Don't say that. It… Estes. I understand. But… did we really think we could save them? We barely handled the Leviathan, and Grock is now lop-"

"Wait, where's Grock?" Sun questioned, worried. "Hadn't seen the huge bummer since that beast fell down!"

"G-Grock is… fine."

The heroes look behind them and see Grock barely standing straight, covering his abdomen with his arm. Deep gashes were on his rocky skin, and the grey color began to darken. "Grock… c-can… stand…" As soon as he said it, he slumped and sat down on the ground, and he had difficulty breathing.

Fanny lands next to him and genuflects, putting her hand on his face. "Hey, big guy."

"Grock… happy to see… friends…"

The flyer sniffed, trying to hold back her emotions. "You did a great job back there. How did it feel punching the crap out of that bug?"

"Very happy… to see friends…"

"Yeah… we did it, buddy. You… Y-you can take a break now, okay? We'll take care of your tower."

Grock let out a weak smile, trying to lift his legs. "Happiest person… is me… For I… I will see my family… A… A…"

"Grock? Hey… Grock?"

The titan's mouth was no longer moving. Fanny noticed Grock's legs slowly collapsing and giving out. The phenomena slowly crept towards Grock's face, and the blue life in the rune on his face and the light within his eyes faded. The rocks that were once the titan collapsed, and bit by bit, the rocks slowly turned to dust, flowing through the wind.

Fanny sighed, her heart aching. She quickly unsheathed her swords and stabbed the ground with them, her knuckles pale.

"Fanny?" Bruno asks. "Are y-you…"

"Lancelot and Odette."

"W-What?"

"Lance and Odette," the flyer repeats. "Can we still save them?"

Bruno was afraid to say the word. It was a rhetorical question, but the answer to it wasn't entirely positive.

"T-There's still a chance that-"

"Yes. Or. No."

Bruno sighs, scratching his head. "No."

Fanny shook, and she stomped the ground with hate. She fell to her knees and punched the ground, and she didn't mind if her knuckles would bleed out. She had had it.

" **GOD! FUCKING! DAMN IT!"**

Meanwhile…

"GO! GO!"

Lancelot grabs Odette's hand and runs out into the hills as one of the medics gets ripped apart by a Ghoul. Odette tries to stop and cast more spells, but Lancelot pulls her hard and keeps running.

"What are you doing?!"

"We only have the captain left! I'm not letting anyone die again!" Odette answers back. "I can't!"

"I'm not letting you die first, so run with us, okay?!"

"Wait, where's the captain?"

The two stopped and finds the captain stopped in his tracks, his mouth spewing blood. "R-Run… please…"

His body drops, and Vexana pulls out her bloody hand from the corpse. "Such a waste, and so are you two!"

"RUN!"

"What are you doing? My lovelies, you will only die tired."

Lancelot grabs Odette's arm and dashes quickly, trying to escape the Necromancer, but a Ghoul catches the runaway knight and slams his head into the ground. Lancelot recuperates and stabs it, but two more appear from the ground.

"Lance? We… We're surrounded."

The two stand back-to-back as dozens of Ghouls began to emerge, moderately rushing towards them. Odette unleashes a holographic swan that ruptures the horde as Lancelot dashes with excellent speed, cutting through the waves. A Ghoul grabs his shoulder and throws him back to the center. Odette spins her scepter and drives the Ghouls away with her magic, and casts a safety bubble around her and Lancelot. A Ghoul tries to break the sphere, but Odette uses her sword to stab its neck.

(Yes, Odette actually uses her sword in combat. What, you think she doesn't? Checkmate, atheists.)

"We need to get off of them," Lancelot breathed out.

"With your bruised limbs?"

Vexana was overhead, laughing at them. "Ha! Look at you… You disgust me. You may have gotten away with all of this… But no good deed goes unpunished, yes?"

The Necromancer lifts her hands and makes more Ghouls. From the hills, a large horde of assorted Ravagers, Stalkers, Wretches and the like began to converge. "Have fun getting your flesh torn clean off your bones!" She disappears through her black aura, the demons left to tend to the duo.

"Lance… It won't be long."

"Odette-"

"We can only do one thing." Odette stabs the ground with her sword and raises her scepter.

"Odette? What are you doing?" Lancelot asks, the Hellhounds already scratching at the bubble.

And slowly… the princess began to sing.

 _*"I dreamed a beautiful dream_

 _You were there as well as I…"_

Cracks began to appear on the bubble as the Wretchs rammed their heads to the translucent sphere.

" _It doesn't seem like a dream even it's over…"_

An aura of light and serenity glowed around Odette, and she began to float, Lancelot embracing her.

" _I miss you caress my hand as you watch me while I sleep_

 _Your melody still remains in this room and it rings…"_

Lancelot began to sing with her as well, their voices slowly resonating not only around the sphere, but also around the outside.

" _Star-la lah- la la, la la la lah_

 _Love you always deeply_

 _Genuinely, immensely, steadily with all my heart…"_

The sphere is about to shatter as the Wretches try to shred them with their claws…

" _Be strong and all will be alright_

 _You are the aria itself…"_

And the barrier breaks.

" _ **SHINE OUT!"**_

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 _Consistency located._

 _Dimension 73:_ Song Title – Hymn of the Star-Crossed

 _Dimension 1:_ Song Title – Marigold (Artist: M2U)

 _ **[DATA RECOVERED]**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 5…**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 4…**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 3…**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 2…**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 1…**_

" _I'll be strong and all will be fine…"_

The harmony slowly dies out as Odette and Lancelot calmly descends, a weak smile on their faces. The two kiss lightly, apparently in ecstasy. Suddenly, an immense wave of pain overloads their minds as they fall to the ashen ground, their blood spilling in mass quantities.

"ODETTE! LANCELOT!"

Argus rushed as he went into the indistinguishable blast zone, the aftermath of Odette's desperate spell… her soft, calm voice still echoing around the dark atmosphere. He squinted his eyes through the dust and gray smoke, trying to find any trace of the duo, and he did.

"L-Lance? LANCE!"

And he couldn't believe it. His own eyes… he couldn't believe what was right in front of him. Argus was dumbfounded. For once, he didn't know what to do.

All of the demons that foolishly attempted to maul them was most likely non-existent, but the condition of the two... Their bodies were the definition of 'mangled'. Their bodies took severe cuts everywhere, their blood spilling too fast. Odette was already lifeless, and Lancelot was barely breathing. Their vocal cords were torn away.

Yes, their condition was worse than Moskov's when he… yep.

Argus landed and dropped his sword, feeling the power of the weapon draining away from him as he ran towards Lancelot.

"Lance... No... what have they done to you?!" He cradled his body.

The knight responded weakly, despite the clear lack of a throat. "Argus..."

"Lance, listen to me. We are going to get you out of here. Just stay alive. Estes can find a way to-"

"Argus, p-please... promise m-me... promise me…"

"Lance, just listen, we're going to pull you up, okay? We will-"

Lancelot grabbed Argus' black collar and yanked it towards him. "PLEASE L-LISTEN TO M-ME! PLEASE! P-promise me... please... don't try to save us... it's the end for us... take us- t-take…"

"Lance? Lance… what are you say-"

"T-take us... take her to the stars for me, A-Argus... it's..." Lancelot's bloodshot eyes cried. "It's all I could... give h-her... it's all I ever wanted... p-please..."

Argus' breathing ragged. His arms shook as he held Lancelot. He feared this outcome. This was what he hated the most. Argus couldn't bear to see someone die because he was late. He wanted to save them, it was the impulse. The angel believed Estes and Rafaela can still save Lance, if not Odette. He was already preparing how to comfort Lance in his mind, in case he does recover.

But this was the inevitable, he couldn't make it in time. If more demons arrived, the army wouldn't have recuperated from the Leviathan's fall. Argus did what he could to make them win the war…

The cost was the lovers' expiration. The least he can do is fulfill their dying wishes.

"I swear, Lance... for you. I promise."

Lancelot sighed with relief, blood trickling from his eyes. They were red and barely moving. His blond hair was shriveled up, covered in dust and blood. Lancelot's left leg gave out, the veins not able to hold his femur and lower leg together. He turned his face and looked up at the pitch black sky... The late, starless night. He sees a faint, colored silhouette, one he is familiar with. The figure outstretches her hand to him, smiling eagerly.

"Odette..." the knight groaned, trying to get up. "I... see her..."

Argus panics. "LANCE! LANCELOT, DON'T YOU DARE!"

"I see... her..." He struggled to lift his arm. If only he could reach it.

"NO! NO! LANCE, DON'T YOU DARE! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON THEM! DON'T DIE OUT ON TIGREAL, ON YOUR FRIENDS! JUST FOR THIS ONE SECOND..." Argus recalled his sword back to him and began to cut his palm, trying to ooze out his ichor. He struggled to do so but too little came out.

"LANCE! HANG ON!" But the angel's voice was merely an echo.

" _I want to be one of them."_

"She... is so... beautiful..." Lancelot almost touched Odette. All he needed was to push harder, for one last time.

" _You, my Lance, you will be up there with me one day."_

"NO! LANCE! LANCE, STAY AWAKE! STAY AWAKE! L-Lance… STAY AWAKE! S-S-STAY! AWAKE!"

" _Can you promise me?"_

He grabbed her hand, and he smiled, his eyes closing.

"I… always keep… my promises…"

And his eyes stopped crying... His arm slumped down. Argus felt the chill rush to his hands.

"Lance... no...No! NO!"

Argus cups his ichor with his free hand and puts it to Lancelot's mouth, but they were shut. He tries to make him drink it, but it didn't work, the gold fluid simply dripping down his lips. The body became lifeless.

"NO! It can't… LANCE! LANCE!" Argus called out, shaking the cadaver. "Y-You can't give up on us… L-Lance…"

The fallen angel looked up with frustration and rage, the wisps inside his helmet flaring with hot energy. He quickly stood up and stomped the ground, making a loud boom that echoed around the landscape. He lets out a guttural cry.

"WHY?! WHYYYYYYY?!I HOW COULD YOU LET THEM DIE?! HOW COULD ALL OF YOU?! HOW?! YOU FOOLISH BASTARDS! YOU DON'T KNOW! THEY'VE SUFFERED LONG ENOUGH! KILL ME INSTEAD! BRING THEM BACK!"

Argus began mouthing even more expletives, the green lightning forking the sky. He grew tired and stomped his feet even more, kicking the other demons' bodies in frustration. He threw the body of an enhanced Wretch as his knees buckled. Argus was on all fours, a constant ache in his heart slowly ringing inside him. He collapsed in a heap, harming himself by slamming his own head to a nearby rock. Instead, the rock shattered.

"T-They… They don't deserve… t-t-to d-die… Not ever… J-Just take me instead… please, I c-can't stand it anymore…"

"I hear you."

Argus perks up, frantically looking around. He sees Lunox standing a few feet away from him, leaning on his sword that was standing erect on the ground, which is surprising since he didn't leave his sword that way.

"Y-You… How-"

"No time, Argus. Don't bring yourself down," the Twilight Goddess said. "You can't do this to yourself."

"THAT'S SO EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!" Argus began, pointing his finger at Lunox. "YOU JUST STAND THERE GIVING ME A SERMON WHEN YOU CAN AID THEM IN THIS WAR! WHERE WERE YOU?!" Argus picked up a Ravager's body and threw it at Lunox, instantly dropping to the ground. The corpse simply passed through Lunox as if she was merely an astral projection.

"Argus, please," Lunox said, her face filled with worry. "Stop-"

"STOP WHAT?! I TRIED… I TRIED EVERYTHING AND I STILL COULDN'T SAVE THEM! I TRIED, LUNOX! I tried… I f-failed, I…"

Argus feels Lunox' hands under his shoulders, lifting him up. She brushes off the dust from his arms and places her hands on his shoulders.

"Listen to me. I… I wanted to do so. All of this time… I wanted to stop all of this. Remember, if I wanted it, none of this… none of all this chaos wouldn't have happened. But I could do nothing, Argus. I kept my promise. I can only intervene once more, and it's for the boy. We wouldn't be here without you. You, Argus… you gave us a second chance. If you didn't save Alucard from the caverns, we would've lost."

Lunox hung her head low and hugged Argus. "It's okay… They were more than willing to die. They wanted this… You can't save everyone, but we can. We, and the boy. If there's one thing you can do, it's to keep him alive. It all ends with me."

"B-But how? Their army won't be able to keep up with the demons rushing there, and the Dark Lord… He…"

"You know how. We all do," Lunox replied. "That's why I'm here talking to you, and only you. You need to get there now."

Lunox pulls away and motions her left hand, making Argus' sword levitate. "The Blade of Despair… the path of agony has brought you this far, and it has converged with the path of redemption."

The weapon travels back to Argus, a mysterious, dandelion glow present before it reached the angel's hand. Lunox faintly smiles at Argus, brushing off her lock of raven hair.

"Lunox…"

"The lovers' wishes are granted, but your last ordeal awaits, Light of Dawn. You are, and always will be, the Land of Dawn's rising sun. *Volo pro veritas."

"Lunox, wait!" Argus reaches out to Lunox, stepping forward, but she disappears without a trace. Argus shakes his head, trying to recover from the encounter. He turns around to look back at Lancelot and Odette, but there was no more body in sight. Not one cadaver from the demons, not even one of the lovers' bodies. No blood, no mark, no aftermath.

Argus was surprised, and looked up to the sky. It was hard to determine, but two white dots were there, twinkling at him before fading away. The angel notices a minor tinge of orange coming into view.

" _Two blond lovers in the place called Swan are destined to die before the Rising Sun._ " Argus recited. "Lance… Odette… I'm sorry."

He extends his wings and begins to fly towards the Land of Dawn, trusting the wind alongside him. The air around him felt familiar, yet he had been flying ever since. A new breeze lifted him up, a gentle touch that felt so unique to him.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save the two of you."

A spark began to ignite within him… a spark of reflection. His eyes looked up to the horizon in front of him. He is too far. It will take him hours to get back to the Land of Dawn.

The spark became a flame… one of determination.

"If we meet again in the other life… then let me apologize to the both of you directly."

The 7th day has arrived, and the fulfillment of the prophecy is fast approaching.

"Alucard, I'm coming. Whatever you do… do not die on me."

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 _ **ENDING SESSION.**_

 _ **[EXTRANEOUS DATA RECOVERED]**_

 _*Latin for the phrase, "We fly for truth."_


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: Redemption**

Guys…

I might not be able to talk with you for a little while.

I think… I need to rest.

This… is so tiring… Need to… take more of these… painkillers…

They're coming for me… They could be coming for you… Need to… do this… fast enough.

Have faith in me… I can do this… Show it to you.

The files will just show you… the…

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 _ **Inconsistencies eliminated.**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 5…**_

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"The end is near."

The Dark Lord stood on the edge in front of the descent. The demons kept on pushing even after midnight. Fires have emerged from the Land of Dawn, the black smoke filling the supposedly sunny sky.

" _They didn't s-s-s-stop. They… are without a doubt… h-h-hard-headed fools,"_ Helcurt snarled. He looked at his master. A rugged set of obsidian armor enveloped the dark matter within. The helmet was almost accomplished in its forging, and sooner or later, the Dark Lord himself will join the fight.

"It won't be long, Shadowbringer," he continued. "When this is all over, you will make your race flourish once again… the lifeless corpses of these self-proclaimed heroes as part of your sustenance. After all, the scraps are of no use to me."

" _What about the Kastiyan? H-He has contributed w-w-well in our assaults."_

"All I seek is the prevention of Estes' victory, and Zhask may have the shards for himself, assuming he hasn't plotted against me."

" _G-G-Good."_ Helcurt turned his gaze to the battlefield, the Leviathan's carcass long gone. _"H-H-How about… her?"_

"Her? Only a mere phantom, a simple hindrance."

" _But the Hunter… you've seen what he has done! H-H-He is your greatest threat!"_

"The fallen angel poses much more of a problem when compared to the boy, Helcurt," the Dark Lord elaborates. "Without either the Gem or Alucard… they have lost. And the brat is fighting on his knees, and the same can be said for his friends. He is reckless… and it will be his fatal flaw that will sunder his flame."

Alice walks toward the Dark Lord's side, licking blood from her lips. "Why not attack now? You see them dying!"

"Patience, Alice. Patience is all you need for you to win. I've let all of the pawns go first. The reason why you fail in thwarting is because you attack without actual, purebred focus. We shall not make the same mistake again."

The small black shards slowly conjoined with each other and formed a vertically horned helmet above the Dark Lord. It floated as he reached it with his obsidian arms and slowly put it on top of him. Two dark purple wisps glowed from within the headgear as a long, tattered cape flew with the rough wind.

"Cease the charge."

The demons around them stopped moving while the other demons downhill continued running, seemingly mindless about the Dark Lord's command. Nevertheless, they charged at the heroes.

Meanwhile…

Twelve hours. Twelve tiring hours.

"Gossen! Bogey at 7!"

The assassin heeded Chou's assist and threw his daggers at a Ravager. He launched one of them towards a Stalker and dashed forward, recalling his swords back to him. As he killed it, he jumped on Tigreal who was raising his shield upward after defending against a Hellbat. Gossen then kills a Reaper that was trailing Natalia. Natalia parried a Hellhound's attack and jumped on a Stalker, digging her claw into its neck. She managed to land safely as the demon frantically shook its body to shake her off. She ducks as Miya shoots an arrow in risky proximity, curving to hit a Spitfire that was about to snatch Bane.

Both the Pirate Lord, Franco and Yi Sun Shin stayed on the ground as the remaining crewmen handled the ships. Yi kept firing his arrows as his firing hand profusely bled from constantly pulling the string on his bow. He gets knocked down by a Ravager and he recovers as Franco swung his hook to it and pulls it to him, pummeling its head with his bloody hammer.

"Grinder's going blunt, eh?!" Franco exclaims. "Keep still!"

Bane stabs the Ravager with his crab claw and digs upward, cutting it in half and killing it. The pirate doesn't see the oncoming Wretch.

"Watch out!" Lapu yelled as he jumped on the Wretch and constantly stabbed it with his swords, hoping that it would not reach the trio in time. The Wretch slowly lost speed as it succumbed to every puncture, and it slumped dead. Lapu was so exhausted that he fell along with the Wretch and rolling to the ground.

"You alright?" Bane asks. "You don't look good."

"Headache… hurts harder than usual," the chieftain mutters. "Need to clear it off of me."

Gatotkaca suddenly crashes next to them, his gauntlets bloody and filled with dents. His helmet was slightly crooked and bruises were on his face. "Augh… stupid Wretch. So hard to kill!"

The aforementioned Wretch snarls at them before running at a high speed. However, a beam of white hits the Wretch square on the forehead, slowly freezing it completely Before shattering into a mass of icicles and viscera.

"Aurora?" Yi Sun Shin asked. "Thanks for the help."

The Queen of Ice didn't respond. She was pale, even paler than she used to be. Her skin slowly deformed and her eyes were sunken. It's as if her hands grew as weary and brittle as the ice itself. She tries to walk at the group but almost loses her footing, being saved by Estes.

"Don't push yourself." Estes places his hand on Aurora's and establishes a healing link, slowly removing her weariness and aging. Aurora took a bit of time before standing up, vigorous unlike before, but not as much. "We need to regroup."

"The Dark Lord…"

"What?"

"He's there," she said, pointing at the gloomy horizon. Estes squinted his eyes. Aurora was right, the Dark Lord was standing in front of a massive horde of beasts, his purple eyes twinkling. "He's… there. We must join forces…"

"Just a bit more, Aurora!" Kaja calls out. He yanks a Hellhound's body and slams it to the ground with his whip. Kaja claws at it with his feet and whips it with powerful lightning, neutralizing the enemy. Uranus punches down a Wretch with his bare hands, seemingly gaining the upper hand. He jumps forward and tackles it, bringing it to the ground. Uranus rushes towards its mouth as it struggles to get up. He manages to get ahold of its tongue and proceeds to pull at it.

"Accursed monsters… Try and fight!"

At the back, Minotaur has already put its foot down the Wretch, preventing it from getting up. Saber arrives and constantly stabs the hide with his swords, immobilizing the Wretch as Uranus pulls harder, eventually pulling the tongue out, followed by the esophagus to the stomach until the whole digestive system was ripped out. The guardian grunts in disgust as he balls the organs into a ball and crushes it with his hands.

"Estes! We're losing control. Regroup," Saber reminds. "The demons have begun retreating. This is the time!"

The king nods and in a loud voice commands, "HALT!"

Each and every one of the heroes stopped one by one, breathing heavily. Zhao pulls his spear out from a Reaper and slashes at the air, throwing the blood off of it. Freya's wings were also matted with blood, but it wasn't hers. She folds them and they disappear. The Valkyrie walks among many different bodies: Bodies of demons, bodies of soldiers, bodies of innocents, bodies of the wicked. All of the others struggle to breath as the stench slowly reeked.

"Is it… over?" Karrie asks, rotating her arms. "I think… I dislocated from throwing…"

"They can't last much longer," Hylos began. "Barely a fraction of the army is present, and I've lost more than half of my brethren."

"Woah, Hylos, are you okay?" Freya asked. "Your leg…" She points to one of the centaur's hind legs, which was severely mauled.

"I will be fine, Valkyrie, but your friends-"

"Not okay, not okay, not okay," Layla repeated like a mantra. "Ears… Ears…"

Hayabusa appears from the shadows, his armor scratched. "Layla… your head!"

"Her ear got shot, and it looks really bad," Bruno worriedly says. "I don't think we can completely bring that back! Goddamnit… how do we patch it up?!"

Rafaela approaches Layla and puts her hand on the markswoman's injury. Layla winces from the pain, closing her eyes. The angel heals the wound and stops the bleeding, but the ear remains missing, the remnants of it slightly patching up a hole.

"It's a Kastiyan-inflicted wound. Beyond my power to fully repair the wound, beyond Estes as well," Rafaela says. "Our powers are slowly weakening."

"Barely any defense on the walls, probably none at all," Roger says, pulling out a Ravager's claw on his chest. As he removes it, a trickle of blood began to spill. "Agh… running out of slugs to use. Clint? Any more ammo with your men?"

"On fumes, old man, on fumes!" Clint exclaims. "Around two dozen more clips for my pistols, and seven rifle ammo, and a fractured finger." The cowboy holds up his left ring finger, that was bent in an odd shape. He sighs. "Don't know, we're… we're toast. We're gonna bite the dust anytime soon."

"We're not, boy," Balmond answers. "I have a couple more men lined around the citadel, and we have more defensive support inside."

"The protodrake?" Lolita asks, putting down her hammer and sitting on it. "Where's that thing?"

"Didn't you know? It went under the Leviathan as it went down," Chou explained. "You know, crushed under it, got in contact with the laser, the Leviathan was literally clutching at it as it fell."

"No trace?!" Johnson exclaimed. "Darn. Darn it… Shield's busted up, too."

"I can still repair them simultaneously," Estes volunteers. "We should focus on avoiding further injury. Where is Alucard?"

"There," Karina points. The group turns to see Alucard constantly stabbing a lifeless Wretch, not stopping. "Hey! Alucard!"

The hunter wasn't listening. Concerned, the group runs to him. Blood covered his tattered clothes, but thankfully, he wasn't hurt, and the growth on his body remained the same since. However, his eyes were red, signaling his loss of self-control.

"Alucard, stop it!" Ruby says. She approaches him and grabs his hands. "Hey, hey! Calm down!"

The hunter abruptly drops the knife from his shaky hands and slowly backs away, hyperventilating. He looks at Ruby and the glow from his eyes disappeared. "R-Ruby…"

"It's okay… Calm down, Alu."

"T-That thing… k-killed Horst…"

"I know, I know, just breathe, just breathe," Ruby comforts, hugging him. "Just breathe. Not your fault, okay? Never your fault."

Alucard embraces her as well before getting up, a severe cramp affecting his leg. He recalls his greatsword and puts it on his back, putting his left hand on his side. "Two ribs broken, I think… Can't really move well."

Irithel appears as well, supported by Leo. One of the smilodon's canines were broken. "Leo… He wants to sit down, but the adrenaline's the only thing keeping him alive…"

"We can hold out… a little more," Harley weakly says, dropping a few of his cards. "There's a bit more fire in my cards left. It will work."

"Beta says there is a 2.71% probability that we can pull this off," Alpha says, his visor dented. Estes began making more healing links, and damages to armor or equipment suddenly disappeared. Minor wounds begun to disappear while the major ones healed, but still needed proper treatment. "Now it's 10.49%. Survival rate is on double digits, but dwindling."

"Come on, no time to waste. The Dark Lord and the others by his side have arrived. We cannot fail now!" Hilda says. "No time to mourn today, we do that only if we win or in the afterlife!"

"Hilda's right, no point being weak now, this is the moment," Lesley supports. "We're doing this for the ones that came before us. We'll clean up someone else's problems because we're the only ones that can. What else are we here for? To watch our friends die?"

"Don't wanna see them die," Cyclops randomly says. "Cyclops is tired of being dumbed down."

"Right!" Sun continues. "If y'all cry now, my boys will toughen you up! Took me ages to get out of the stone, and all y'all survived all of the bad to get here! We're here to do what must be done!"

"No one can do this alone… Not a single one," Miya says, standing up. "I once saved my race from extinction, but now, the Land of Dawn needs all of us. Look! The Dark Lord himself cannot face us alone! He brags about his strength and deception… but we have put him on the ropes yet again! If we need to die to put him back into place, then so be it!"

The heroes slowly cheered and gained morale, some having smiles on their faces. Kagura turns to the field and notices the horde staring right at them.

"All eyes on us."

"They're eager," Akai notes. "Frogger here says these uglies are insistin' on a fistin'! Whatcha say, Frogger?" The frog on his hat croaked with glee, raising his hand. "Well, he agrees. Who agrees too?"

Everyone raises their hands. The demons began to roar and snort uncontrollably at a distance. The Dark Lord chuckles, but he wasn't nervous.

"There's always a speech… but barely anyone cares," he says. "Prepare, all of you. Feast on these insolent beings as I release you."

The heroes slowly drifted to the center of the field, in front of the remaining army. The spearhead formation was already neglected as the Striders and Bastions assembled in squares.

On the walls, civilians and other Sharpshooters looked at the defense in awe. Someone on the crowd, a woman, whooped and yelled. "GO, HEROES! FOR THE LIGHT!"

"FOR THE LIGHT!"

"FOR THE LIGHT!"

"FOR THE LIGHT!"

"FOR THE LAND OF DAWN!"

The voices rose and overlapped the crackling sound of the raging fires. Some stomped their feet while some whistled. The army banged their weapons with their shields and chanted loudly, their spirits lifted.

"We have gone this far… we will go even further," Estes began, slowly floating in front of the heroes. "The enemy you see behind me, they expect us to falter that easily, but no! We do not rely on blind faith, for it doesn't make us true warriors! We have hope, with or without the Lords! What matters is that we are here, side by side, setting aside millennia of indifference, and rivalries turned into alliances! The Dark Lord will rue this day, and we will show them what we are capable of! So I ask you for the last time… ARE YOU WITH ME?!"

" **YEEEESSSSSSS!"**

The cheering grew louder at the back. The heroes slowly lined up shoulder to shoulder, slowly bowing their heads and holding their weapons upright from the ground. They silently prayed to themselves as the silence grew. The sun slowly appears from the mountains, gracing them with warmth.

The Dark Lord slowly fashions a large sword out of obsidian fragments, and points it towards the heroes. "Demons… I set you free!"

By the hundreds, many kinds of demons went forth. Ravagers, Goblins, Spitfires, Wretches, Reapers, you name it. They charged with murderous intent, some even running on each other with their thirst for blood unsatisfied.

Alucard looked up and saw the black, grey, purple and green dots marking the whole land in front of them. He pulls out his sword, a loud _SHWING!_ resonating around the whole field. He throws it upward and yelled.

" **HEROES… UNITE!"**

He catches his greatsword and activates its power, red smoke flowing out of it. Alucard locks his position and aims forward. The other heroes simultaneously raised their weapons and aimed at the demons, their eyes trained and their stances unmoving. Yi Sun Shin nocks an arrow from her bow, Chou sets his hands aflame, Karrie sets her lightwheels into high gear, Lesley loads a bullet into her rifle, and Hayabusa puts his golden blade over his left arm which was under his right, and halts. Gossen reels back, preparing to throw his daggers. Saber hovers and releases his twelve swords, already supercharged and pointed towards the horde. Eudora concentrates her energy as storms of lightning shook the sky while Gord focuses his mystic energy within his hands. All of the other heroes did the similar thing, a familiar burning feeling inside their hearts.

Freya slowly began to transform as she underwent the change. Suddenly, bits and pieces of gold and bronze adorned her shield, overlapping the silver metal and fashioning it with feather-like patterns. The same happened to her armor, wings and headgear as her hair slowly grew shorter. Her helmet grew in size like a gladiator's helmet, but with a gold, sharp crest, and it wrapped around her head. Freya's wings unfurled, and gold bits covered them like some sort of augmentation, making her shine brilliantly.

"And may the Gods witness everything that happens here and now!"

Zhao began to burst into flames once more, his grand armor forming around his body, surprisingly unscathed. He spins his spear on his side before drawing it. "Now… or never!"

Miya began to glow blue, and she slowly stepped forward, a mystifying aura growing around her. The blood on her skin and clothes suddenly disappeared. Her eyes gained a complete sky blue color, and her basic armor slowly turned into a tight dark-colored suit that hugged her figure. Black, combat sleeves covered her arms and a two-winged shoulderguard fitted her right arm, conjoined to what seemed to be a sharp, matte collar around her neck, which had tall ends at the back that almost reached the top of her head. Her bow slowly transformed, holographic images of butterflies floating around it as silky feathers adorned the structure. A set of long, purple and blue plumes stretched from the back of her shoulderguard. Miya wore the same style of headband on her ponytail, and she nocks an arrow to her bow, powered by serene light.

"It's great to be with you, my friends. It's been an absolute pleasure."

Everyone looked at her, surprised at her metamorphosis.

Saber replied, "Same to you… comrade." The slits on his helmet glowed. "And today… **WE FIGHT!** "

The heroes all charged as one. Blind hope? Probably. Dwindling into single digits, absolutely. But no one has ever seen something such as this…

Ten seconds before contact would be made, so Alucard immediately shot forth a red wave of destruction from his weapon, the wide projectile zooming to the demons. Some attempted to dodge it, but were caught by the force. Those that took it head on were cut into halves, chunks of their bodies flying off in different directions. Saber lets his swords loose, weaving through and shredding a wave into ribbons. As the groups neared, Johnson burst out from the middle, crashing onto the demons in a straight line before spinning around in donuts, unleashing a barrage of missiles.

Miya jumped high into the air and shoots three arrows from her bow in high speed, most of them serving as headshots. Eudora stretched her hands out and arcs of lightning travelled from her hands, chaining around the other demons in the vicinity. Aurora soon followed up with a large hailstorm concentrated in the center of the mass, the ice slowly building up as a wall to halt the charge of the other demons.

Chou punches a Reaper in the gut and sends it flying, knocking down the demons behind it like dominoes. He kicks a Wretch's face as Minotaur strikes it with his hammer from the other side, the blunt edge impaling on its skull. The hybrid pulls it out and hammers the ground tremendously, sending hundreds of demons airborne. Fanny hooks to some Spitfires and zips through the airborne Ravagers and Hellhounds, killing them as fast as possible. She stabs a Wretch to the head with both of her swords as she landed. Fanny uses its head as her take-off point and swings below it, cutting off its legs before Gatot punches it to the ground, the skull cracking in multiple spots.

"Bogies converging from both sides!" Alpha announced, his drone spitting bullets on a straight line. "Need to… clear!" The cyborg strikes the ground with his spear, unleashing a shockwave of kinetic energy around him. He rides on Beta and stabs a Stalker before flying off into the air.

Hylos casts pathways on different sides, noticing that the demons have begun crowding them. "Back away! Go forward and we will be surrounded within the passing minute!"

"How much time left before the Gem is complete?" Estes asks, lifting dozens of demons into the air as they were encased by a glass sphere. The king balls his fist and crushes them by the singularities. "Alucard needs to meet with it in time!"

"Around half an hour!" Kagura shouts, driving away a crowd converging towards her with her umbrella. She gestures with her hands, making the umbrella rotate around her to push the enemies back as she ran back to the group. The mage was about to be cornered by a Wretch, but Hayabusa bursts from its mouth, apparently seeking to kill it. He launches a group of shadows and teleports into each one, throwing shurikens and kunai everywhere. He grabs Kagura by the hand and teleports to the last shadow, accompanying the group again. Akai appears from the back, spinning wildly with his staff before jumping out of a Reaper's clutches.

"Rafaela, remember!" Hayabusa calls out. "Whenever needed!"

"Not now!" the angel responds. "The wrong moment!" She channels light from her staff as the sky began to rain bright arrows, impaling some of the demons that were beginning to chase them. A few ballistae and cannons on the walls were still being manned, and they fired towards the hulking mass of demons, diminishing their numbers through their artillery and fire. A Wretch gets impaled by a large arrow from the ballistae, but it kept running, somewhat unhindered. Another humongous arrow was shot towards it, hitting its head, but it merely slowed down. It gained control and more speed, beginning to gain in on the heroes as it started to trample on the smaller demons just to get to it. The Wretch leaps, but Uranus was also airborne as well, raising his arms and slammed them onto one end of the arrows, making it push deeper into the Wretch. It completely penetrates through its head, finally killing it. The corpse was immediately swallowed by a horde of Morphlings that started to jump on the guardian.

"Putrid rats!" Uranus bellowed, clenching his fist and concentrating the energy within him. "These pests… all of your efforts… ARE IN VAIN!" The celestial energy within him erupted, scattering the demons away from him. Uranus remained unscathed throughout this event, and he proceeded to conjure more ionic discs around him. "Maintain the lines!"

"Hey, Lolita!" Layla asks, charging her cannon. "You ready?"

Lolita didn't say a word as she raised her large hammer, a wide, conical area starting to light up. Uranus moves away and lures the demons into the field. He gives way to Lolita as the elf strikes the ground, sending hundreds of Hellhounds and Morphlings airborne. The other demons near the blast were stunned or incapacitated. Layla shoots a large laser of death from her cannon, concentrating her fire onto a straight line. Bruno clings to her shoulders so that she doesn't trip from the force that was acting against her, and Layla began moving the laser like a hose, mowing down the remaining monsters as if she was spreading cheese on a slice of bread. The cannon dies down and Layla drops to the ground, her arms weak.

"Could barely… barely lifting it," she mumbles, wiping soot from her face. "C'mon… Tens, hundred thousands more to go!"

"That's them," Harley points. "Alice, Helcurt, Vexana, Zhask-"

"Dark Lord ain't here yet!" Tigreal interrupts. "Whatever happens, stand your ground. Worst is yet to come."

Suddenly, Minotaur bellows in rage, leaping into the air and stomping the ground with his feet. He began following up the shockwaves with strikes from his hammer, the kinetic force shaking the bones of the incoming demons. Some easily ruptured from the energy of the waves, bits of viscera still vibrating from the shock.

"Well, that was easy," Chou blurted out. "There's still a few more to wipe out, though!"

Johnson opens one of the car doors as Lesley and Gossen enter it. "If anyone wants to enter, speak now!"

"No, Johnson! Protect Lesley, we got this," Karina says. "Give them an ambush opportunity." She brandishes her blades and charges with the other heroes. The elf launches herself forward and scissors through a Stalker before she lands on her feet. Karina has set her eyes on Alice.

"Oh, look at all of you!" Alice taunts. "So desperate for winning this… but this isn't like last time!" She launches an orb to get to Balmond. The orc notices this and strikes the projectile. Alice teleports to it and receives the blow, but was barely fazed. She attempts to yank the weapon from Balmond, but Karina cuts off her arms, making the succubus lose her grip.

"Not my friends, side chick," Karina mumbles. "And never my family."

"Killed them all in the blink of an eye!" Alice cackles.

Karina throws one of her blades to Alice like a Frisbee. She dodges it, but as it travels back to Karina, the elf kicks Alice to it, slicing on her back like a circular saw. Karina slashes at Alice several times before grabbing her weapon back to her just in time to block her attack.

"And your fellow brethren too! Did you like that?!" Karina retorts. She sprints towards Alice and raises her blades. Alice covers herself with her wings, but Karina stabs her by the feet instead. She somersaults upwards and pulls the blades back up, swinging them to slice Alice's shoulders instead. Karina kicks Alice back and lands on her feet gracefully.

"Family taught me many things," Karina says, brushing dust from her armor. A trickle of blood flowed from her head. "But you only taught me one thing, Alice. It's to never betray them, so that we will be unlike you!"

Alice leaps to Karina in a frenzy, but Eudora arrives, electrocuting her before she could make contact.

"Need help?" the mage asks.

"Perfect timing," Karina huffs.

"The two of you can't stop me! My master approaches!" Alice threatens. "And if he does, he will flay all of you to the bone!"

"Sounds promising, but nope," a voice answers. Miya stood with Karina and Eudora in a circle, surrounding Alice. She nocks a light arrow on her brilliant bow. "And besides… you should feel honored, knowing you tried."

Meanwhile…

"Zhask is one of the main threats," Gossen says to Johnson. "We need to isolate him so that his spawn will not endanger us in the long run."

"But he's on the far back! Sure, the artillery can clear it, but only for a little while," Lesley reminds. "Wait, can anyone of the big guys clear paths?"

Next to them, a Wretch loomed, apparently controlled by Bane, who was on top. His sword was jutting out of the Wretch, and the Pirate Lord is yanking it around.

"Hoya! Let me clear these barnacles out!" Bane pushes the sword forward and the Wretch crashes onto a group of Hellhounds. Aurora generates another hailstorm in front of Bane, clearing the demons in the vicinity so that he can retreat. Johnson revs faster into Zhask, but the alien casts a lightning bolt, forcing Johnson to shield up and transform. Gossen jumps upward and prepares to throw his daggers, but Zhask's spawn catches him and attempts to shoot him point blank in the chest. Gossen blocks with his dagger and zooms back behind Johnson. Lesley peeks but cannot get a clear shot.

"Try if you can!" Zhask yells. "You will never break through!"

"Gossen, our backs!" Lesley warns. "Demons nearing!"

The assassin sighs and throws his set of swords to the Ravagers as Lesley shot down the survivors. Gossen recalls them back to him, but instead of completely disappearing, they revolve around him as Gossen gets up close with a few Kastiyans, stabbing them with his daggers in quick succession. He grabs one of his floating dagger and rolls in the air, landing on a Kastiyan before stabbing it by the neck. He dashes and throws one of his daggers to a Reaper. It runs away to avoid Gossen, but he recalls the dagger back instead of dashing towards it, so that the launched dagger cuts through the Reaper twice. Gossen goes back to Lesley and Johnson.

"Can't hold the shield much longer… The heat is intense!"  
Johnson warns. "I'm breaking out on three… two… one… Split!"

The trio breaks off, but Lesley turns to the left and doesn't join Johnson and Gossen. Zhask aims to Lesley, but the sniper quickly aims down with her scope and pulls the trigger, hitting Zhask on one of his eyes. The alien reels back and shakes off the injury, the wound healing.

"Agh! Where are you, little girl?!" Zhask looks around, preparing his spawn. "Where are-"

Lesley was hiding, crouched behind a rock near Zhask. She shoots Zhask on the abdomen and rushes, the spawn laying its sights on her. Johnson releases another missile to distract the spawn, and the Dominator shoots it down before it hits. However, Gossen was trailing with the missile, and he lands on top of the spawn. The assassin casts his daggers onto the spawn, quickly killing it, and he throws a dagger to Zhask and dashes, recalling his swords back to him. The blades cut through the alien as Gossen jumps to stab Zhask on the neck. Zhask recuperates and blocks Gossen's arm, but he uses his free arm to stab Zhask on the stomach with another dagger. Gossen reels back and pulls his daggers off just in time before he could get hit by Zhask's bolts.

"Your moves are excellent, yet futile. You're wasting your time," Zhask says, simply shrugging off his wounds. "How would you like to have your brains displayed?"

"I was going to ask the same thing," the assassin chuckles. "But if I were to have yours out, best bet is I'll make a middle finger out of it." Gossen throws five daggers at Zhask, but all of them were blocked. Lesley uses this opening to fire at the alien commander. The sniper shoots Zhask's shoulder and makes him stumble backward. Lesley advances with Gossen as he kept throwing more and more daggers to keep the firing window open.

"Stop throwing, I think we kept him occupied long enough," Lesley suggests. Gossen recalls back his daggers, numbered to be 70. Zhask suddenly generates a spawn despite being blind. It attempts to shoot Lesley, but two of Gossen's daggers trailed to her, intercepting the shot.

"Go! I'll catch up!" Gossen commands. Lesley runs down and back to Johnson as Gossen cast forth more daggers on the incoming Kastiyans before jumping up, launching a sword at a Hellbat. "Agh, here we go again."

He dashes to the air and slashes the Hellbat with one of his daggers knowing that the demon was seemingly aware. A herd of Spitfires began to follow him into the air, but Gossen simply lets gravity take over as he falls down the ground.

"Saber!"

The cyborg appears behind Gossen, flying upward and ripping the demons into shreds as Gossen recalls his own daggers to finish the job. "Nice call. How is Zhask?"

"Busy. Where's Vex and Helcurt?"

"Coming in, but we need to clear more. Ruby has Helcurt on the ropes. Let's keep them at it!"

Meanwhile…

"Defense up!"

Aurora raises her hands and creates a wall of ice. She slowly covered herself with the cold barrier, preventing the demons from reaching her. Many climbed on it and began clawing at the ice, some frantically pounding their fists. Aurora balls her fist and punches the ground, breaking the barrier and sending the pieces flying, most of the rocks and shards crushing or eviscerating the enemies. Vexana slowly approaches Aurora and lets out a beam of green, dark energy from her hands. Aurora raises her hands and blocks the attack, her whole body covered in growths of ice shards.

"You're a hassle, Aurora!" Vexana began, summoning more of the undead, crowding her.

"You killed Lancelot and Odette… It shall not go unpunished." Aurora throws her arms up in the air and dozens of ice swords shot forth from her crystalline skin, piercing through the Ghouls and pinning them to the ground. Vexana pulls out an ice sword from her shoulder, wincing.

"To take down the Reservoir, one of many! I admire the perseverance, but I pity the true outcome! Your fellow friends will learn to bend the knee to the true Lord!"

"You're blinded by your own rage. It has consumed you, and it will consume me no longer."

Vexana shrieks and shoots forth another beam of energy, but Tigreal steps in front of Aurora, covering himself with his shield. The knight steps forward, apparently struggling.

"Aurora, go! Franco and the others!"

She nods and leaves Tigreal. He looks up towards Vexana. "I will not stand idly by!"

Tigreal suddenly runs through, overcoming the force of the laser as he cuts upward with his blade. Vexana's torso receives a tremendous cut, blood pouring out of her. She quickly floats away but Tigreal throws his sword and it lodges on Vexana's back. The Necromancer lets out a high-pitch yelp, stumbling to the ground.

"Their weapons… they must be blessed!"

"Lancelot and Odette… I will avenge the two of you!" Tigreal grabs the handle of the blade, but his vision suddenly turns black. He feels something pounce on him, so Tigreal instinctively drops forward to the ground and attempts to slam his upper half to the cap of his sword. Helcurt growls in pain as his spine cracks from the blow. Vexana howls louder as the blade digs deeper into her.

" _S-S-Smart… not yet enough!"_

Helcurt regains his footing and charges to the blind knight, but a greatsword knocks him to the side.

"Tigreal!"

He regains his sight and sees Alucard and Clint running towards him. "Thanks."

"No problem. Natalia needs some cover up front. We'll take on Helcurt and Vex."

Tigreal pulls his sword out and kicks Vexana forward before leaving the scene.

"Hey, get Helcurt," Clint suggests. "Can't do anything with him around. I'll stop Vex."

"Bring Roger to help you. I'll deal with the Shadowbringer," Alucard adds. The cowboy runs off and closes in to Vexana, who was retreating. The demon hunter sees Helcurt wagging his tail, his cloak slightly tattered. "You're a whackjob… Absolute."

" _Too l-l-late for petty insults, Hunter!"_

Helcurt leaps and strikes with his tail. Alucard dodges the attack and spins to the left, cutting Helcurt's shoulder. The Shadowbringer screeches before leaping, landing on top of Alucard. He attempts to claw the hunter's face as Alucard drops to the ground and rolls, trying to force Helcurt off of him. In his peripheral vision, a few Shadowbringers begin to close in on him.

" _Hahahahah! Blood will be spilt in the name of the Abyss!"_

"Yeah… yours!" Alucard grabs Helcurt by the neck and throws him to his fellow Shadowbringers, sending them skidding to the ground. Helcurt immediately regains control and pounces again, opening his jaws. Alucard's reflexes makes him close his eyes and cover himself with his right arm. Helcurt bites on it but immediately reels back, making awkward sounds. The hunter stops covering himself and notices that three of Helcurt's teeth were broken, and was stuck on his arm. The Shadowbringer screeches before fleeing, nearly missing Ruby's hook.

" _Is he trying to rip my arm off?!"_

"Alu!" Ruby greeted, panting. "The Dark Lord-"

"Ruby, they're trying to rip my arm off. Helcurt… he was aiming for it."

"Not now. The Dark Lord… he's here."

"W-What?!"

Johnson and Lesley retreat back to the formation, somewhat panicked. The cyborg transforms back into a car, wide and deep gashes on his shield.

"Crap… almost killed me," Johnson said nervously. "Lesley, you alright?"

The sniper clutched her bleeding shoulder, an injury she took seemingly from a sword or knife. "I can still shoot… but…"

"Everyone, regroup! He's approaching!" Zhao yelled. Cyclops, Nana and Miya outran him, and Nana's arm was bleeding, the blood slowly trickling down her boomerang. Estes hovers upwards with Saber and generates a wide, prismatic barrier forward, pushing the demons back before they could snatch Hilda and Irithel with their claws.

"Too many," Layla sighs, supporting herself with her own cannon. "Gun's hot, too many, I can't breathe there."

"Odin, help us…" Franco prayed, looking pale. "By the gods…"

"He's too quick, too quick," Sun complained, leaning to Hylos. "Almost got killed…"

Uranus and Kaja were the last to retreat. Bruno notices the guardian's body, heavy dents and gashes on the bronze. The damage was slowly being repaired, but it was tremendous. Kaja stopped flying, one of his wings matted with his own ichor.

"I have a few more of my men," Kaja reminds Rafaela. "I've ordered them to guard the Gem. The smaller demons are gone, but-"

"I have arrived."

The heroes raised their heads and noticed the black figure slowly approaching them, dozens of meters away. The Dark Lord walked the earth and his steps left a trail of decay. He held the helmet of a Strider, coated in blood.

"This body… I have longed for a surrogate for eons… This feels… strange," he said to himself. He held the helmet within his hand and slowly crushed it effortlessly, dropping it to the ground. "Yet… I doubt any one of you can outmatch me…"

"Silence!" Estes commands, conjuring more of his runes and spells. "We need not resort to this."

"Oh… never my own fault. You chose to fight against me, against legacy! How inconsiderate… thinking you stood any chance, no matter how small! My children were merciful, so am I… But now, I've had enough. The boy… he's become a threat." He points to Alucard, specifically, his greatsword. "And threats are always liabilities to my plan… All of you will not live to tell the new world what has become."

Miya immediately loads an arrow into her bow and fires. The projectile swished through the air, aiming for the slits on the Dark Lord's helmet. However, he flicks through the air in a split second, and suddenly, he was holding the arrow with his hand.

"I am no longer bound, and I am glad you are persistent to live long enough!" he said, blades of darkness slowly materializing around him, pointed at the heroes. "It will make it even more satisfying as I render all of your hardships for naught!"

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" _-OM! DAD! HELP! SOMEBODY!"_

" _KEEP RUNNING!"_

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Clint began firing at the Dark Lord with his revolvers as the group begins to scatter, the enemy's swords zooming around and attempting to wound them. Kaja charges to the Dark Lord, but he grabs the Nazar King by the whip. Kaja charges his weapon in order to electrocute the Dark Lord, but he remained unfazed. He yanks the whip, pulling Kaja in the process. The Dark Lord punches Kaja into the air, rendering him barely unconscious. Minotaur runs and rams the Dark Lord on all fours, but a field of dark energy was around him, making Minotaur's charge barely efficient. He grips his hammer and attempts to break the field, but the face was slowly cracking, the field barely even receiving a scratch.

"I thought you dead after the cataclysm," the Dark Lord conversed. "Astounding." He recalls his swords and they pierce Minotaur's side. He roars in pain and retreats, letting Roger take his place. The hunter shoots his shells at the Dark Lord, but he doesn't move, the shells simply bouncing off into the shield like shrapnel. Roger turns into a werewolf, running towards the Dark Lord, but the swords stab through Roger's carpals, pinning him to the ground. The black knight conjures more swords and begins to throw them at Roger, more and more beginning to jut out of his body.

"NO!" Ruby exclaims, running and striking the Dark Lord with her scythe, breaking the powerful aura. He slowly backs, surprised. The Dark Lord removes the swords from Roger, who retreats back to Rafaela in order to heal. He sends them towards Ruby, who blocks most of them with her scythe. One of them pierces through her leg, and she screams from the pain, grabbing onto the scythe for support. The knight sends more swords into Ruby, but Johnson arrives, blocking them with his shield. He lets out a barrage of missiles, but the Dark Lord doesn't move. All of the missiles hit the black knight, all were direct impacts. Freya divebombs from the air and brings her sword down to the smoke. She stops in mid-air, however, as the Dark Lord blocks the attack telepathically, his black swords interlocked around him, forming a new shield. He pushes his arm upward, commanding the swords to separate. Freya jumps off and lands on the ground, immediately deflecting and parrying the swords that travelled straight to her. She perfectly blocks one of them, but it punctures her shield, nearly cutting off her arm. It disappears like a shadow, leaving a hole.

"The Valkyrie… you should've killed the fallen angel," the Dark Lord began, throwing more and more blades at Freya, her wings already serving as her spare shields. "You've made a grave mistake."

"Then you shouldn't have forced him to turn!" she shouts, banging her sword and shield together and making the black swords disappear. "It's your loss, not ours!" Freya charges through, covering herself with her shield. The Dark Lord stretches out his arms, telekinetically pushing Freya back with such force that she flew to the air. She uses her wings to gain control and flies around as the knight throws more and more swords at her. Lolita approaches behind him and brings her hammer down, but another Dark Lord appears from the current one… A clone.

The clone simply blocks the strike and grabs the flat of the hammer. It grabs the hammer on both hands and slams down the ground, bringing Lolita down from the other end. The clone then detaches from the Dark Lord's original body and throws Lolita into the sky. Saber catches Lolita by the arm and pushes her back. The elf raises her hammer and charges the Noumenon energy. She strikes the ground, causing the clone to dematerialize and makes the Dark Lord stumble a little. Lolita uses this opportunity to attack, swinging her hammer to the side. The hammer hits the Dark Lord's aura and remained stuck. Lolita tries to make it budge, but it doesn't move.

"What… how?!"

The Dark Lord says nothing as he grabs Lolita by the neck and pummels her to the ground. Lolita desperately reaches for the hammer, but the black knight keeps choke-slamming her to the ground, trying to kill her. Miya keeps firing arrows at the Dark Lord, but the arrows seemingly disappear as they come in contact with the aura. Layla charges her cannon and lets out a destructive laser, slowly breaking the Dark Lord's aura before shattering it completely. The laser hits the knight, making him drop Lolita, nearly half-dead. Alpha flies down to the ground and carries the elf in his arms, Beta dragging the hammer. The Dark Lord recuperates and sends out swords to trail Alpha, some hitting Beta.

"AGH! GOING DOWN! GOING DOWN!"

Alpha descends, putting Lolita on his shoulder. He uses his free arm to wield his spear and knock the swords away, Beta shooting down the remainder. He jumps off the drone and lands heavily on the ground. "LOLITA!"

"N-Not… Cool…"

"Yeah, yeah, don't try that EVER AGAIN!"

"Holy… what the hell?" Kagura exclaims. "Is she-"

"Still alive, but Estes is still busy handling two new clones!"

Akai stops spinning, growing dizzy. His armor was dented due to some of the ethereal swords lodged onto it. "It's as if the Dark Lord's multiplying!"

"Those are clones, we need to wipe them all off!" Eudora suggests. She channels electricity within her hands and unleashes them, arcing to the nearest clone. The projection disappears as the lightning chains to the other clones preoccupying the other heroes. Hilda backs as lightning hits the clone she was defending against. "Where is Alucard?"

"I can't see him!" Uranus answers, trying to charge up more energy as more and more swords were piercing through his bronze body. "Find him! FIND HIM! NOW!"

Natalia claws down the Dark Lord, and realizes that it was merely another clone that was attacking Uranus. "Damn it! ALUCARD!"

Meanwhile, Chou was sprinting around the field, dodging the Dark Lord's swords. He notices Zhask, Vexana, Alice and Helcurt simply staring at the scene, spectating.

"Oh, you cheeky brats…"

Chou punches the ground, causing boulders of dirt to rise to the air. He kicks one of them towards Vexana, the soil scattering around them. The Necromancer wipes some off of her face and begins floating towards Chou, apparently pissed.

"Good, don't watch over there, you cowards!"

Chou keeps sprinting, trying to find Alucard. "Alu?! Alu! Goddamnit, where are you?!"

He feels something brush close to him, and he kicks behind him, his fiery foot coming in contact with Helcurt. The Shadowbringer lands on his feet, snarling.

" _You tempt death, foolish one!"_ he said. _"Stupid decisions, y-y-y-your doing!"_

Helcurt leaps, making Chou punch the demon, but the Shadowbringer grasps Chou's arm instead and curling, making his tail hit the kung fu boy by the shoulder. The neurotoxins begins flowing through his blood, making him weaker.

"Argh… no! Not sleeping now!" Chou throws his punch with his free arm, but Helcurt catches it with his claws and clamps his jaws on it, ripping off a chunk off flesh as he rears his head. Chou screams from the pain as he rolls around, grabbing Helcurt by the neck. The Shadowbringer constantly stabs Chou in the back, the poison taking effect.

" _You're a fool to begin with… my fellows have b-b-begun their assault!"_

"Alucard… c'mon… help…"

" _You… will d-d-d-die alone!"_

"GET OFF!"

Helcurt turns his head to his right and sees a burning sword spin towards him. It is too late as it pierces Helcurt torso, sending him flying to a nearby boulder, impaling him. Alucard teleports to the blade and slams his feet to the cap, pushing the greatsword deeper before pulling it out, letting the Shadowbringer drop to the ground. Helcurt groans, a large, cauterized wound appearing from his stomach. Heavy scorch marks surrounded the injury. He flees away.

"Chou!" Alucard began, worried. "The neurotoxin-"

"I need some healing, y-yeah… Just so… sleepy…"

"NO! Don't sleep, or you die! Hang on!" Alucard grabs Chou's arm and throws his greatsword high into the air, waiting for it to fall. As it began descending near Estes, he wills both of them towards it and they fall to the ground. "Come on, Chou!"

"Alucard, what happened?!" Estes asks.

"Just heal Chou! I'll deal with him."

"Alucard, you can't!" the king rejects. "They're waiting for YOU!"

"Doesn't matter. I won't let anyone die because of me… NOT EVER!" Alucard throws his greatsword to the Dark Lord, who was previously combatting Zhao. The blade easily breaks the black aura, and the hunter teleports. The Dark Lord suddenly blinks off of the way before Alucard could drive the burning greatsword to the knight's body.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Zhao exclaims, throwing his spear at the Dark Lord. "GET OUT OF HERE!"

Alucard paid no attention as he ran straight to the Dark Lord. The knight deflects Zhao's spear with a black sword in midair as he shot forth even more with his other arm. Alucard frantically blocks them, preventing them from reaching the other heroes. He throws his greatsword again, and as expected, the Dark Lord blinks out. He reappears behind Alucard, but immediately gets fazed by Sun, who threw his cudgel at the right moment. A clone of Sun appeared and proceeded to whack the Dark Lord, but it was ineffective. The black knight conjured more swords, some throwing the clone off, and Alucard recalls his greatsword just in time. He grabs it with his demonic arm and shoots forth a fiery fission wave, cancelling the summoning of the black swords. The Dark Lord, however, took the flaming gale as if it was a gentle breeze, the wave seemingly passing through him, and only his cape moved.

"I sense your strength, and why Alice fears you, out of all the others, chosen one… That, I admire."

And for the first time, the Dark Lord charged.

Alucard was surprised by the sudden advance that it wasn't long before the grim set of obsidian armor was right at his face. He somersaults back, missing the Dark Lord's punch. The hunter notices a silhouette of a blade dematerializing from the hand.

"You killed my parents!"

"A small price to pay."

"NOT ON MY SIDE!" Alucard yells as he slices upward, a wave of flame cutting through the ground and to the Dark Lord. The knight simply sidesteps and dodges the attack. He continued weaving around, making Alucard miss most of his slashes. Alucard finally stabs the Dark Lord, but the body splits into two identical copies before telekentically pushing Alucard back, nearly knocking onto Lapu-Lapu. The chieftain takes his place and throws one of his blades. The weapon gets blocked by the Dark Lord's aura as the spirit stretched out his arm, shooting forth a volley of swords against Lapu. He dodges most of them, ducking around, but one of the swords hits his foot, trapping him. The Dark Lord proceeds to stab Lapu even more, three swords on his chest.

"GET OFFA HIM!" Franco shouts. He leaps onto the Dark Lord and tries to hit his helmet, but it left him more annoyed rather than hurt. A black projection escapes from the Dark Lord's original body and opens his hand. Franco suddenly gets grabbed by an invisible force. The clone clenches his fist and the Viking's body was being pushed inward. The gravity became intense to the point that Franco's arm broke, the bone slowly protruding, piercing the skin. Gord desperately releases a gush of mystic energy aimed for the clone. The original Dark Lord suddenly disappears, and the clone (now the actual Dark Lord) lets go of Franco, his limbs crushed. The knight takes the full force of the laser, slowly walking towards Gord.

"You… IMPOSSIBLE! YOUR POWER…"

"This is the truth, magician… Fear it." The Dark Lord slowly motions his hands as he walked nearer, somewhat absorbing the blue energy into his own. Gord notices this and stops firing, but it was too late. The Dark Lord contains the new energy and shoots forth black, destructive beams to Gord. The magician covers his eyes for the inevitable, but Estes intervenes, immediately casting a protective bubble to protect him.

"Gord, step out of the way!" Estes commanded. In the corner of his eye, a black sword flies, aimed for his head. Estes swipes it off and lands to the ground, making more runes with his hands. "This needs to stop."

"Your stubbornness is what should cease, elf! You deny the facts! We are your other half, and you have celebrated long enough," the Dark Lord accuses. He opens his arms and gathers up dark energy before focusing them in a beam of death. Estes quickly formulates a circular shield filled with symbols and takes the whole laser, the dark energy being converted into Moonlight. The elf king then redirects the attack back to the Dark Lord. The knight stops channeling the beam and charges towards Estes. Tigreal appears from the side and strikes the Dark Lord square in the face with his shield. The spirit simply flips backwards and lands on his feet.

"Estes, stay behind me, and catch him unawares!"

The Dark Lord rose and began to throw swords one by one towards Tigreal. The gilded warrior blocks them with his shield, so the Dark Lord thought of conjuring axes, slowly curving back behind Tigreal, hoping to pierce his armor. Estes jumps above Tigreal and casts a bright, blinding spell. The Dark Lord covers his eyes, feigning blindness. Estes then charges with blue moonlight swords on his hands. He slices around, slowly tearing apart the Dark Lord's armor. However, the fragments floated around and shot to Estes, seeking to land a hit. The bits and pieces simply deflected from Estes' blades, as if he was blocking as he was attacking. The elf hovers upwards and kicks the Dark Lord back, drawing his blades.

"You're stronger than ever, Estes… A worthy adversary, after all!" The Dark Lord chuckles before releasing dozens of projections of himself. Each of them gestured with their hands as they surrounded Estes. They pulled dark spears from the void and struck Estes simultaneously. The elf king quickly casts a static shield, blocking the stabs. Before the shield breaks, he touched the barrier and slowly muttered a chant. Suddenly, the spears and the barrier transformed into a beautiful swarm of indigo butterflies fluttering into the air.

"Magic tricks? A little too old for you," the spirit sarcastically says. Slowly, the butterflies merged together and glowed, forming a human silhouette. In a bright flash of light, Miya appears, shooting an intense arrow of blue energy into the sky. The projectile splits into sharp light arrows that pierced through the clones, forcing them to disappear. The real Dark Lord was nowhere to be seen.

"You okay?" the archer asked. "Nifty trick."

"We need to find Alucard. They're trying to isolate him."

"I… think they already have." Miya points to the northeast. Alucard is already fighting Alice and Zhask at the same time. Freya, who was nearby, couldn't aid him because she was fighting three clones. Hayabusa was preoccupied as well, being chased by a projection of the Dark Lord.

"We need to get him, now."

Alucard blocks one of Zhask's lightning bolts, trying to avoid succumbing to Alice's Drinking State.

"Give up, Alucard. The reign of darkness is at hand!"

"Reign, my buttcheeks… I'm sick and tired!" Alucard pushes Alice to Zhask, making them stumble. Vexana arrives, summoning Ghouls to restrain Alucard. He struggles from the weight of the undead pushing him to the ground. Alice recovers and tries to stomp Alucard's chest, but the greatsword moved freely into the air, slicing down the Ghouls. Alucard gets up and jumps towards Vexana, digging his sword into her chest. Zhask immediately summons a Dominator and zaps Alucard, making him stop in his struggle. Alice gets near the hunter and begins to sap his energy while Vexana grips her arms and concentrates her dark energy to him. Alucard screams in pain from the focused attack.

"Your friends are half-dead, literally! You cannot hope to survive!" Vexana taunts. "You are a half-breed… Tainted, a nobody!"

"You… can hope… **THAT YOU'RE DEAD WRONG!"** Alucard's flaming aura bursts and strengthens, wings of flame beginning to protrude from his back. The claws of the wings scratch at Vexana, the fire clearly hurting her. She lets go and Alucard immediately recalls the greatsword, charging towards Alice. Zhask commands the Dominator to shoot at the hunter, but Alucard simply tanks the shots, unfazed. He grabs Alice by the shoulder and digs his clawed hand into her skin, the flames already spreading on her. He chucks Alice into the air and chases her before she could fly off. Alucard slices one of her wings clean off, cauterizing the wound with the burning aura.

Meaning? She won't grow it back.

"AAAAGGGGGHHHHH! YOU LITTLE SWINE! I WILL KILL YOU!"

Alucard then clutches Alice's leg and throws her to the ground. He throws his greatsword to impale her but Zhask uses the Dominator to receive the blow instead, saving the succubus.

" **COME ON!"** Alucard yells. **"IT TAKES ALL OF YOU TO TAKE ME DOWN! COME ON!"**

The hunter dives down and flies forward to Zhask. The alien commander then creates three spawns and orders them to fire. The concentrated laser hits Alucard point blank, but the aura was preventing it from reaching further. Zhask blocks Alucard's incoming strike as Miya appears from the side with Estes.

"Alucard! Get out!" Miya says. "Most of us are badly injured, we need to go!"

He didn't listen, knowing that Zhask and the others were already on the brink of defeat. Alucard joins Miya as Zhask began taking more and more blows, making him succumb to his injuries. Alucard was about to take the final blow before his vision suddenly disappears. He lands to where Zhask is supposed to be, and the commander was gone.

"Miya? Miya!" He calls out, but Alucard receives no reply. His ears are ringing, and he couldn't hear anything. His aura could barely even make light for him. Alucard suddenly hears a faint sound in his mind.

" _RUN! ALUCARD JUST RUN!"_

" _W-What?"_

" _HE'S COMING! HELCURT!"_

Alucard's vision returns and he sees Helcurt on his left side. The hunter pulls his sword out to strike the Shadowbringer, but it grasps to his left arm and sinks his jaws into the upper region, and in one second…

Rips it off clean from the shoulder.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Alucard sinks to his knees, the pain overwhelming his senses. He looks to his left and he doesn't see his arm. Red spots clouded his vision as more and more blood poured out from the amputation. His aura suddenly died out and his wings disappeared. Alucard slowly transformed back into his old self as he grabs for his sword in desperation. In front of him, Helcurt spits out his arm, already melting from the venom inside it.

Alucard won't be recovering his arm back, unless he grows a demonic arm, which will further accelerate the demonization process.

A losing situation.

" _Now… you fall!"_ Helcurt spoke, laughing tremendously. Miya panics as she nocks an arrow, but a clone of the Dark Lord grabs her and punches her in the gut, a blade protruding to her back. The archer falls to her knees, blood pouring out of her.

"Estes… I can't… move…"

"Miya!" He conjures a healing link, but Vexana cuts it down with her ghostly hands and covers Estes with a green cloud of toxins. Estes shields himself within a bubble, but the fumes slowly seeped into it, making him choke from the poison.

"Estes, hold on, we're coming!" Rafaela calls out, Cyclops, Saber and Johnson with her. Johnson rams into Helcurt and transforms, revealing Layla inside. She sticks her cannon into Helcurt's side and pulls the trigger, the malefic energy nearly shredding off one of his legs. Johnson shields Layla from Zhask and advances, releasing a barrage of missiles from his back. Zhask summons a pair of spawns that immediately take the blast, and retaliates with a lightning bolt. It arcs around Johnson and hits Layla instead. The markswoman yelps in pain, dropping her cannon and falls, barely conscious. Cyclops appears from the side and throws cosmic balls at both Zhask and Alice, but Vexana traps the little mage, nearly crushing him. Saber dives and cuts Vexana, but a clone of the Dark Lord attempts to throw swords. The cyborg deflects the swords, but they return back, somewhat trapping Saber. The blades surround him until he was caged, some of them covering the top. Saber tries to wedge out, but two clones appeared from the first clone and they began shooting swords towards Saber, impaling him multiple times.

"J-Johnson! Escort… Alucard… with the o-others… now!"

"Saber! Don't give up!" Rafaela channels the light from her scepter and extinguishes the clones of the Dark Lord. However, the real Dark Lord appeared behind her, stabbing her with a sword. Rafaela falls down, her power suddenly growing weaker. She tries to get up, but Alice plants her foot to the angel's back. Cyclops tries to run, but Helcurt climbs on Cyclops and injects venom on his back, paralyzing the mage instantly.

"NO! NO! Let them… g-go! L-Let them go! You wanted me!" Alucard pleads, trying to stand. Zhask shoots forth a bolt from his staff and sends Alucard back down to the ground to bleed.

"You are alive because your sword keeps you that way," the Dark Lord says. "Though, I must admit, I'm having fun toying with you." He kicks Alucard forward, making him roll. Helcurt snarls humorously at Alucard, injecting another batch of neurotoxins at his chest. Alucard struggles to breath, black and red shapes dancing over his eyes. He clenches tightly to the greatsword with his only arm, trying to live. He slowly turns his head to look up at the sky, and notices something odd.

" _The clouds… they're growing dark…"_

"I expected much more from you, chosen one," the spirit adds. "But you're just a mere boy, blinded by his own ambitions."

" _Why are they… so dark? The sun…"_

"Bah… all of you are mere puppets… Masters of your own demise."

" _The rising sun… the rising sun! A-Argus…"_

"End of the line, Alucard!" The Dark Lord summons three swords and proceeds to bring them down, but an object falls from the sky, piercing through the armor.

" **DO NOT TOUCH HIM!"**

Argus descends from the skies, green lightning scattering through the clouds. He lands with tremendous force, knocking everyone back through the impact. Alucard weakly looks towards him.

"A-Argus…"

"Alucard? By the Lords… your arm…"

"B-Behind y-you…"

Argus turns around and sees the Dark Lord easily phasing out from the sword. "Ah… you. My failure."

The fallen angel recalls his sword and slashes the armor, but it was already a mere clone. "SHOW YOURSELF, COWARD!"

"Coward? COWARD?!" the Dark Lord retorts. He appears above Argus, sending black swords to stab the angel. "You are the true coward, resisting me, the truth! You think you will receive forgiveness from the sins you've committed, but you are deeply mistaken!"

The Dark Lord descends and throws balls of dark energy at Argus. The angel decides to take one of the projectiles square to the body, but the force was greater than calculated. It throws Argus backwards, and Alucard was just a few meters away from him.

"Argus… go… get… out of h-h-here…"

"I'm not leaving you, kid!" Argus replies. He turns back and the Dark Lord unleashes a beam of black chaos energy, concentrating it towards Argus. The fallen angel covers his body with his arms and takes the full blast. The spirit was unrelenting with his assault, further focusing the laser. Argus tries to stand and makes an attempt to recall his sword, but it doesn't return. He sees Vexana encase the sword within swirling green fumes, restricting its movement.

"Stop this! You need not harm the boy!" Argus bargains. "You also wanted me, kill me instead!"

"That willing to sacrifice your power for that miserable ant?! He is nothing more than a false hope, a filthy ruse! His friends, blinded by their 'just' cause… It's a trick!"

"SHUT UP!" Argus threatens, but Vexana begins releasing her own volatile energy at Argus. Alice stood next to her and held out her hands, tempted to sap Argus' power so that it will transfer to her instead. Zhask emerges from the other side, shooting his lightning bolt towards Argus. The angel sinks into his knees, the concentrated offense slowly deteriorating his strength.

"Alucard… R-Run… R-Run… Save y-y-yourself…"

" _No… N-no… Argus… remember… you can't give up on us!"_

"You've grown weak, Argus. Your hatred is diminishing, but mine is stronger!"

" _Your hate is not your power… Argus. You're not weak… Remember… who you are…"_

Alucard telepathically tries to delve deep within Argus' memories, trying to find a concurrent thought. _"You're not a monster… I will show you!"_

" _Argus?"_

" _No… I don't want to go!"_

 _Rafaela smiles at her little brother. Argus was a few dozen years younger than Rafaela, who was at the top of her class._

" _Why?"_

" _I hate the academies… they hate me there!"_

" _Don't say that, you were doing great! Why do they… 'hate' you there?"_

 _Argus throws a fit. "They called me small! They called me tiny! I'm trying so hard to show what I can do, but they step on me like I'm some sort of ground they can just step on!"_

 _Rafaela laughs softly. "Argus… if there's one thing you are, it's that you're good, okay? Don't listen to them! You're my little brother, and I know that your heart is stronger than most."_

"You tried so hard to save the boy, Argus, but it all ends here, one way or another!" Vexana yells. "Succumb to the Abyss, and become the master's servant once more!"

" _Rafaela?"_

" _Argus! Oh, thank the Lords!" Rafaela kisses Argus by the cheek. "Hey, look at you! My little brother, the leader of the Seraphim!"_

" _Yes, well, I did manage to beat Alice on the final test. She's hard to overcome. She was rather quick, but I exploited the weaknesses in her movements."_

" _Glad that you did!"_

" _Hey… aren't you supposed to be with Kaja?" Argus asks, scratching his head. "The Celestial Palace is still under renovation, from what I have heard."_

" _He is with Uranus, so do not worry. I'm here for you! You should be glad!" Rafaela cheerfully said. "Why? Did something bad occur?"_

" _No, no, I'm fine. The people love me! I'm just… concerned. Things feel… different."_

" _You will get used to it. Come on, your fellow cousins are waiting for you!"_

"The shards shall be mine, traitor!" Zhask assures. "When we are done with you, there will be no stopping us! We will kill the boy soon afterwards, and we will thrive in your place!"

" _Argus."_

" _Don't follow me, Rafaela," Argus says, walking around the landscape. "Go away!"_

" _I can't do that, not that Estes has told me-"_

" _You needn't listen to what he has to say about me! I need no one."_

" _You're wrong! You always needed a companion, someone by your side! Stop rejecting me!"_

" _Why are you like this?! You know what I've done! I've killed so many… directly or indirectly, doesn't matter! I'm a disgrace to the heavens."_

" _You're never like this. You're my brother. I know you. You aren't a monster. The Lords don't see it, but I do! I know about Alucard."_

 _Argus suddenly turns his head towards Rafaela. "You… knew?"_

" _Kaja told me before I descended. Argus… the prophecy, you're fulfilling it!"_

" _Fat chance… I may have doomed us all! He is either the greatest asset or the worst liability, Rafaela!"_

" _Don't think I know the risks, Argus. Alucard is the one and only Child of the Fall. He needs us. You've been protecting him when he was still a toddler. That may prove one thing…"_

 _Rafaela taps Argus' chest with her scepter, and reveals Argus' internal anatomy. Green veins were all around his body. However, the angel's heart wasn't green. It was a dandelion organ, pumping ichor. Rafaela was shocked to see a scar on the golden heart._

" _Now… I know, Argus. Tell me the truth."_

" _It was long ago."_

 _But I now know… you've never changed. You're… you're always the angel I know. Always."_

" _Rafaela-"_

" _Admit it. After all of this time?"_

 _Argus sighs. "Always."_

" _Argus… you need to remember,"_ Alucard says, almost losing consciousness. _"One more…"_

" _Argus."_

 _The angel turns around to see Alucard. "Alu… it's late at night-"_

" _I know… you're going to the Reservoir tomorrow, yes?"_

" _Correct, but-"_

" _Listen. I know that all of this… you're in a pressure-cooker situation. It's immense, it's dreadful, but… I just want to say…"_

 _Suddenly, Alucard embraces Argus tightly, locking his arms._

" _Alucard?"_

" _Thank you… for everything. For saving my life, numerous times… For being there for me when I was young, when I couldn't walk. For saving my friends when we needed you the most."_

" _Alucard-"_

" _They call you a traitor, but I call you a guardian. They may call you a demon, but we will call you a savior. They may turn you down, cast you out, but to our eyes… we are family. We're something entirely different. And I don't expect you to bring Lancelot and Odette back from the dead… At least bring the Reservoir down along with them. You're one of the best to ever be in the Land of Dawn, Argus… and I cannot express further, for there is no equal to what you've given us: a second chance."_

More and more calming voices suddenly arose. Most of the heroes were downed and terribly wounded, looking at Argus. Karrie prayed in her mind that he would stand.

" _C'mon, dummy… Get up!"_

" _Argus… they're calling for you!"_

Freya, pinned down by clones of the Dark Lord, looked up and saw what was unfolding. _"Get up, Argus! COME ON! DON'T DIE OUT ON US!"_

Balmond struggles to stand, bowing his head. _"The fallen angel… may you soar the skies free!"_

More voices began speaking in Argus' head as the angel stopped blocking the dark energy with his arms, growing weak.

" _Come on, Argus!"_

" _You're the best out there, come on! Give them hell!"_

" _We're not going to see you die out, GET UP!"_

" _Come on, show the edgelord who's the real deal!"_

" _Argus!"_

" _Little brother… please…"_

" _Take us to the stars, promise me!"_

" _Now or never, my friend!"_

" _COME ON ARGUS!"_

" _ARGUS!"_

" _STAND UP AND GET THE SWORD!"_

" _You're no warmonger…"_ Alucard thinks, before vocally saying it. "You're not the reaper… you're the leader of the angels of war, the Light of Dawn… AND YOU… **WILL SHINE… ONCE MORE!"**

Suddenly, Argus slightly jerks his head upward. He struggles to lift his arms, but he was doing it.

"Y-you… will…"

" _Get up!"_

"Vexana… something's wrong," Alice began, growing nervous. "I'm being shut out, I don't understand… I can't leech his energy!"

" _COME ON!"_

"Y-You… t-threaten my company…"

Three pairs of black wings slowly unfurled from Argus' back, fully extending. An orange aura began to emanate from the angel, the green wisps within his helmet slowly turning into tongues of fire.

" _He… is resisting!"_ Helcurt warns. _"Zhask!"_

"I know, but… how is this… possible?!"

" _GET UP! GET UP! GET UP!"_

"You t-try… to kill them… murder them… mercilessly…"

Argus lifted one of his legs, and he was only kneeling on one knee. His arms were raised, trying to push the dark energy away from him.

"Stand down, Argus!" the Dark Lord commands. "As your master-"

"Master? You… will never reign Gaius… AND YOU THINK… YOU CAN GET AWAY… FROM ALL OF YOUR INFAMY?!"

" _YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF DAWN!"_

" **YOU… WILL ALL PAY… FOR WHAT YOU DID TO THEM!"**

Argus yells in rage and defiance, a strong aura of light bursting from within him. The winds knock Alice, Helcurt, Zhask and Vexana back, setting the Blade of Despair free. It travels back to Argus' hand, and the green blade slowly turns into orange, coated in dark flames.

"You do not give in so easily… SHAME ON YOU!" the Dark Lord exclaims before throwing three swords at Argus. The angel slashes into the air, blocking all of them in one swing. Argus then skyrockets upward, throwing waves of fire to the Dark Lord.

"THEY WILL NOT DIE IN VAIN!" Argus yelled, divebombing and striking the ground with his sword, knocking the malevolent spirit back. The Dark Lord releases a clone, but Argus dashes with unmatched speed, slashing through the clone and the Dark Lord, appearing twenty meters away after the dash. The clone disintegrates, and the Dark Lord's obsidian armor suffers a moderate gash on its left side, a gold light enveloping it. Argus dashes again, raising his blade. The Dark Lord covers himself with rows of swords and retreats. The angel cuts through the swords, forcing them to dematerialize as he sped up once more, slashing at the spirit from the other side. Argus halts himself, digging the sword to the ground to stop him from skidding. He looks up and sees Helcurt charge towards him. Argus lets go of his sword and catches the Shadowbringer by the neck and throws him back to the Dark Lord. He leaps, recalling his greatsword back to him and slashes downward, casting waves of flame towards Helcurt before attempting to stab him then and there. Helcurt blinks out, as well as the Dark Lord, but the intensity of the heat surprised them.

" _How… is h-h-h-he…. Fighting b-back?!"_ Helcurt growls.

"You hurt Alucard," Argus mutters, shaking due to his rage. "You hurt them… YOU ANSWER TO ME!" He throws his claw, the hand reaching the Dark Lord's current location. He pulls himself towards the target and cuts sideward, but the Dark Lord backs away. Alice appears overhead and releases a blood orb, descending towards the angel. Argus jumps up and flips as Alice teleports, his feet coming in contact with her jaw. Alice gets knocked, and as Argus unfurls his wings and flies in the air, he throws his long claw to Alice and it clutches her leg, burning it. She shrieks in pain and struggles to break free as Argus swings her around like a yo-yo before throwing her far away into the other side of the battlefield.

Argus flies down and picks up the greatsword as he slides, nearly slicing Helcurt. The Shadowbringer then teleports behind Argus and crawls on his back, using his tail to inject poison. This proved to be worthless as Argus doesn't feel the toxins acting against him, and it may most likely mean it wasn't hurting him at all. Argus' aura burns even stronger, forcing Helcurt to detach as his claws and limbs were suffering first-degree burns, bits of fabric of his cloak already turning into ash.

The Dark Lord concentrates dark energy within him and unleashes it. Argus quickly uses his sword and blocks it with the flat of the blade.

"You… how are you… doing this?!"

Argus doesn't respond as he turns his blade and uses the sharp edge, splitting the black beam of energy into two. He advances, forcing the Dark Lord to stop firing. Argus looks behind him and notices some of the heroes already fleeing the scene to recover, but a few were being tracked down. The angel backs away from the fight, dodging a few of the Dark Lord's black swords, and cuts down one of Zhask's spawns. He dashes around the battlefield in supersonic speed, saving Nana from an untimely death as he slices Zhask's side, the wound burning the alien up.

"Why… you! I am so close to killing them!" Zhask exclaims, casting a lightning bolt. Argus easily swipes it off with his arm and slaps Zhask with so much force that it send him flying to the air. Argus follows and slashes at Zhask even more, causing more and more flaming gashes to appear at his body. He stops his assault, noticing the demons slowly pouring in as a result of the Gem's energy fluctuating.

The Genesys Gem is ready.

Argus sees Alucard being chased by a group of Wretches, the hunter limping. The angel zooms downward and crushes one of the Wretch's head on impact. He slashes into the air, large whips of fire pushing the demons back. A few Spitfires were descending to attack Argus, but he slashes towards them, the flames catching them unawares and disintegrating them into ash. Argus dashes quickly side-to-side, clearing out lines of demons with his sword as his movement leaves a trail of flames behind him, slowly growing into pillars of fire.

"I am no monster…" he whispered to himself as he slaughtered more and more. "I am no traitor… nor a demon…"

Zhask, Alice and Vexana appeared behind the last row of demons, holding Argus back with their concentrated fire. Argus easily stands up, but the Dark Lord appears with dozens of his clones, some of them letting out beams of void energy towards Argus while the others conjured bladed weapons to pierce through the angel. The flaming aura nullified the attacks.

"I am… a brother…"

"KILL THE BASTARD, NOW!" the Dark Lord screams overhead. "KILL HIM NOW!"

"I am a friend…"

"He's too strong! His aura!" Vexana grunts. "I… can't… go further!"

"I am family… A savior… a sliver of hope for mankind…"

Alucard notices the unfolding events. A bright pillar of light envelopes Argus, and it seemed as if it originated from the clouds above. The sky grew less bleak, and the pillars of fire separating the two sides of the field didn't seem to burn the ground at all.

It was healing it.

"Argus! Go!"

"KILL! THE! TRAITOR!"

More and more demons began to pour out from the hills, racing towards Argus with intent to end him then and there. The pillar of light showering down on him glowed even brighter as the destructive lasers pinning Argus down was being reflected and scattered around, harming some of the demons closing in on him.

"I am… **THE LIGHT OF DAWN!"**

Argus yells and lifts his blade before striking the ground with tremendous force, a seismic wave sending the Dark Lord and the other demons back. A curtain of light seemed to blanket the whole landscape in front of the angel, the barren ground of the battlefield slowly being turned into rich loam. Green leaves of grass began to flourish at a rapid pace as Argus clutches his sword with both hands, a metamorphosis slowly taking effect.

The sword's orange blade slowly became gold, as bright as the sun. Black and sanguine tongues of fire turned into pale yellow prominences, arcing towards the sky. The black skull crossguard slowly 'peeled' away from the sword, as if a curtain of illusion was incinerated away from Argus. The crossguard transformed into a white eagle, the energy slowly being transferred from the blade to Argus.

The claws of his hands turned yellow, and his grim armor was slowly turning into bright, silver plates with gold accents and layers. His left shoulderguard slowly morphed into an eagle's head, its eyes glowing with ferocity. Yellow and gold lines trace Argus' muscles, replacing the vile, green accents. His body armor, from the claws on his feet transforming into winged shoes, up to his sharp collar turning into one of flowing, curved patterns resembling plumes, all of it materializing as the heroes watched in awe from the walls. The cross on his chest radiated with heat as his power grew, the energy reaching to his head.

"Argus…" Rafaela began, weakly smiling. "You've come home."

Behind her, most of the heroes were whooping with intensity. Chou was almost ready to bring the whole wall down with him.

"YEEEEEESSSSS! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET! YOU'RE SO SCREWED NOW! I REPEAT, ALL OF YOU ARE SO SCREWED NOW!"

Estes was in awe from what he was seeing. "The Light of Dawn… has returned."

Argus' helmet lost its four, wide slits, and the wisps for his eyes disappeared. Instead, the lower helmet, that looked like a visor, grew three, small slits on each side and nestled on his chin. A gold, triangular plate replaces the top portion of Argus' helmet. On his temples, his black, solid horns turned into white, gold filings within them. They curved much more elegantly and sharply. Argus' wings unfurled at maximum length, the black feathers somewhat being shed and burned as they fell to the ground. White plumes grew from the scapulars and up to the primaries, flowing gracefully in the winds as bits of silver and gold armor adorned them beautifully. The pillar of light slowly disappeared and died out as Argus stood triumphantly, his new form outshining anything else in the field. Small flowers, namely marigolds and daisies, grew on the rich soil, slowly spreading.

Argus pulls out his sword and traces its golden blade with his free hand, golden sparks ricocheting. "And I… will fight… until death!"

He draws the blade with a resounding _SHWING!_ echoing around the landscape. Argus turns around and sees Alucard with his jaw dropped.

"Alucard!"

"T-That's… badass…" Alucard suddenly drops to the ground, clutching his shoulder. "O-Ow… hurts…"

Argus runs towards him through the pillar of fire and cradles his body. "Breathe, okay? Hold on to your sword!"

"B-But… I w-will-"

"It doesn't matter! The Genesys Gem has fully coalesced! All it needs is you, so hold on, okay? I am already seeing Johnson coming towards you." Argus uses his sword and cuts his palm, letting his blood drip onto Alucard's wound. The hunter screams in pain, tears flowing from his eyes as he shakes uncontrollably. The angel holds on to him tightly.

"I know it hurts, but it's the only way to save you." Argus looks up and sees Johnson as a car stopping next to them. Ruby, Zhao and Yinsen were inside.

Yinsen looks out from the window. "Argus, how's Alu- OH MY GOD WHERE'S HIS ARM?!"

"Alucard?!" Ruby exclaims. "Oh God… is… is he alright?"

"He needs the Gem, pronto!" Johnson vocalizes, opening the shotgun seat. "Argus, how about you?"

Argus turned around as soon as he made Alucard sit down. It won't be long before the demons start pouring in. Sure, the wall of fire will push them back, but not Alice, nor Zhask, much less the Dark Lord. If left unattended, the Dark Lord would reach the citadel within the hour.

They need to hold them back.

"I'm staying here, Johnson. Tell the others to form in groups and block the fastest route the Dark Lord may take. We have to fight him, all of us… one by one, or group by group. The more we distract him, the better. As long as Alucard is safe!"

The hunter was terrified of the idea. "Argus, no! You can't… You can't take them all alone!"

"Alu is right, Argus," Zhao supports. "That's the freaking Dark Lord and he is recovering back there! You can't stay here, you'll die!"

"Zhao, you don't know what's at stake. I have the greatest chance of making their success rate dwindle," Argus adds. "If you let me go first, the Dark Lord will expend his energy just so I will fall, and he will be weaker as he nears. Think about it! Alu is losing blood fast, and we need him with the Gem!"

Alucard wasn't letting it happen. "But Argus-"

"Alucard… listen to me, just this once!" the angel interrupts. "All my dread long life… All those millennia being something I never chose to be, it broke me. I almost thought I was unforgivable, unacceptable, a lost cause! But you… you and your friends and your family, they taught me better. They proved me wrong and let me in the Land of Dawn! I felt… I felt whole again, and it's a feeling I've longed for ever since my recollection! My boy… this is my chance to do the right thing, to do what must be done, to save you, all of us, and redeem myself for all of this chaos! Please, Alucard, let me take this chance. For once in my life… let me do this for you."

Alucard tried to stop his tears as he sat, looking outside. He could get out of the shotgun seat, as Johnson still held the door open. He can stay with Argus, the person that gave him a second life. He can die with him, the only father figure he knows that is still alive up to this day.

But it is fate for them to separate.

The hunter drops down the seat and stands up, beating his left breast with his demonic arm, still clutching his sword.

"And may the Light of Dawn… shine through the darkness… once more!"

Zhao, Yinsen and Ruby did the same gesture and yelled as well. "AND MAY THE LIGHT OF DAWN SHINE THROUGH THE DARKNESS ONCE MORE!"

Estes and Rafaela heard their voices and farewells from the walls as they spectated. They know what must be done. All of them, fighting against the Dark Lord, one way or another. And they too, did the same.

"AND MAY THE LIGHT OF DAWN SHINE THROUGH THE DARKNESS ONCE MORE!"

"And may the Light of Dawn, shine through the darkness once more!" Uranus chanted, banging his armor. More and more voices shouted and cried out in a loud voice, beating their breasts and regaining their morale.

" **AND MAY THE LIGHT OF DAWN SHINE THROUGH THE DARKNESS ONCE MORE!"**

Alucard smiles weakly as he struggles to climb back up to Johnson's shotgun seat. The cyborg closes the door and revs to the opposite direction, straight to the walls. Alucard slumps on his seat, growing dizzy from the loss of blood.

"Alucard, hold on," Yinsen assures. "We're going to be alright."

Argus turns around and recalls his golden sword, heavenly fire enveloping him.

"I grant you a new name," the angel whispered. "Caelesti Igni… Holy Fire!"

He struck the ground and gripped both of his hands on the handle, bowing down for his last stand. Demons charged through the wall of flame, but they turned to cinders upon contact. Argus closed his eyes, the long fabric of his armor flowing with the gentle breeze.

"Farewell… Child of the Fall."

Meanwhile…

"I want all of you to split into groups!" Hylos commands, beckoning the heroes to split. "Arrange yourselves according to your maximum possible contribution so that our hindering of the Dark Lord's progress are stretched to full capability!"

Apparently, Chou, Lolita, Bruno and Layla raced to the citadel, where the Gem was located. Balmond, Hilda and their people grouped around in the center of the route while Irithel and Karrie were behind them. Estes already teleports to the gates of the citadel, readying his Royal Guard. Some of the remaining stayed outside in order to line, while Johnson sped up towards the entrance on the walls.

"COMING THROUGH! MAKE WAY, MAKE WAY!"

Saber and Alpha followed him by flying around, inspecting Alucard.

"He lost more than 80% of his blood, but he is alright," Saber evaluates. "He'll live, we're nearing the shard."

"Johnson, after you escort them, come with us, alright?" Alpha suggests. "Estes and Hylos is grouping us up."

"Noted!"

Johnson revs faster as he reached a speed of 119 km/h, breaking through the debris that covered the route towards the citadel. He drifts out and mashed the brakes as the car slowly stopped next to the steps of the building. Yinsen, Ruby and Zhao gets out of the passenger seats and prepares to catch Alucard.

"Opening door… Now!"

Alucard's body drops, but the trio catches him easily. He lets go of the greatsword, but Saber lands in time and makes him grip it.

"Alucard, are you there? Stay awake!" the cyborg said. "We're nearing the gem. There's an outline of your body on it, we'll put you there, okay?"

Estes floats towards them, multiple runes revolving around him. Some of them drift off to Alucard, reinvigorating him. "My spells will buy him some time. Hurry!"

The Royal Guard opens the gates from the inside and lets them in. The Genesys Gem was hovering a few feet above, angled slightly forward. Saber was right. A large cutout was on the crystal, resembling a human of Alucard's build and size. The Gem radiated with brilliant light, that of the Sun and Moon.

"Woah… I can feel its warmth from here," Zhao remarks. "Come on."

Estes stops them in their tracks. "Hold. I have a better idea." He creates a healing link from him to Alucard, and the hunter's body freely levitates off the ground. Estes drags him slowly with the link like a balloon. Wisps of energy emanated from the Genesys Gem, somewhat wrapping around Alucard's body. Estes cancels the link as the tendrils of energy slowly blanketed Alucard as he laid to rest on the cutout.

"Now, Alucard, hold still. Don't be afraid," Estes says. Small crystals began covering Alucard's feet, slowly growing up to his legs. "The Gem is covering you with a protective layer. Don't worry, you will simply be put in a trance-like state."

"R-Ruby…"

"Alu, I'm right here," she said, standing next to the Gem. She kisses Alucard's forehead. "I'm right here."

"I… c-c-can't… move my h-head…"

"Stay still, you will be alright."

"I… I'm sorry…"

"No, no, don't say that! You're doing a good job, okay?"

Alucard's irises moved towards her. "Ruby… if needed… let… go…"

"Alu-"

"Promise me… That you will… let go and let… it take you…"

"Alu, what do you mean?"

"I w-w-will… s-see… you…"

The crystal slowly envelops Alucard and his greatsword, and it reaches his head. Alucard stops looking at Ruby and stares straight ahead as the layer of crystals freezes him, making him one with the Genesys Gem.

"And now… we wait," Estes finalizes. "Ruby, stay with Roger just by the walls. Saber, stick with Fanny to the skies. If one of you goes down, regroup with Alpha and Johnson. All of our remaining forces are setting up their last barricades and spells in case the demons choose to crowd around us."

"Estes, how about you?" Zhao asks.

"I will stay outside the citadel with the Royal Guard while some of Alucard's friends will be holed up here. The underground chamber is no longer a safe zone. You need to be with Miya, Freya, Akai, Kagura and Hayabusa on the outside."

"On it. Good luck out here, all of you! Yinsen, how about you?"

The fellow hunter raises his eyebrows. "Oh, me? I'm staying here. I know Alucard the most, I will make sure the Gem is doing right. You need to go, Zhao. Argus may be fighting the Dark Lord as we speak!"

Meanwhile…

"Argus."

The angel looks up and sees Lunox, standing in front of him. "You've changed."

"For the better, Lunox."

The Twilight Goddess smiles. "The prophecy is being fulfilled, but… it's a shame you have to stay here."

"What matters is that they live, and nothing else."

Lunox approaches Argus and cups his face, kissing his helmet. "After all of this… you remained as such… a light for those behind you, a flame against the everlasting Abyss. And I am forever proud of you, my harbinger of Light."

"Thank you… Lunox, for being with me today," Argus replies. "It has been an absolute honor."

Lunox nods lightly. She pulls away, looking behind her. The Dark Lord was about to walk through the wall of fire.

"Go forth, and make your last stand. You will be rewarded in kind as you join me amongst the stars." She disappears, as if a cloak enveloped around her. And then, Argus began to recite in an impromptu fashion.

 _ **I was once the weakest of the winged  
Sworn to protect multitudes of kings,  
Along with their kingdoms, their beloved and kin.**_

 _ **I have persevered to lead my friends,  
who are no longer with me today,  
their lives I have ended, what more can I say?**_

In the corner of his eyes, Zhask stood alongside the black spirit, hefting his staff.

 _ **For power and temptation fueled my greed,  
The same greed that made me wield corruption,  
Imposed by darkness, so that I may impose destruction...**_

 _ **My body betrayed, but my heart never faltered,  
The curse I once bore would still be altered  
Evil is no match against those with ardor.**_

 _ **I now stand as one, alone and brave,  
My friends' lives, I could no longer save,  
Their souls remain as stars that shall never fade!**_

Alice appeared, walking alongside Vexana, as she only possessed one wing. Argus didn't mind and kept speaking to himself.

 _ **I, now pure of heart, make my final stand  
On marigolds growing from once barren sand  
Flourishing on the green I tread to make my last demands…**_

 _ **Never let our sacrifices be for naught  
May time be merciful that our final wishes be sought,  
Lest you want us to fail and leave us to rot.**_

The Dark Lord slowly begins to conjure swords.

 _ **The final hour is at hand, and I never fear.  
Sadness shall not ravage me to make me shed tears,  
Men are of faith when judgment draws near.**_

 _ **As I mark my last words, I say, so long!  
I am here… to help fulfill the prophecy foretold,  
Praying to make known a story untold!**_

As soon as he stops, a black sword zooms through the flame, aimed towards Argus. The angel doesn't budge as the sword stops a few inches away from him, slowly disintegrating due to his aura.

The Dark Lord passes through the flames, alongside Vexana, Alice, Helcurt and Zhask, the other demons behind them, waiting for their time to strike. As they stepped on the grass, the flowers slowly wilted and died out, turning back into barren soil.

"So… here we are," the spirit began. "Nostalgic, isn't it?"

Argus said no words as he looked at the Dark Lord. Alice was looking at him angrily, her wing extended. Zhask tightly gripped his staff, charged with purple bolts of lightning. Helcurt had his tail raised, snarling at Argus while Vexana held green energy on her hands, growing nervous.

"It has been long since we have seen you in such a disappointing state," the Dark Lord adds. "I can't believe you. After all of my perseverance in turning you into my greatest ally… you defect!"

Again, Argus said nothing, a thought ringing in his mind.

" _That voice… it's familiar…"_

"You know, Alice once told me… you were a runt."

" _One out of seventy-two… who are you?"_

"And I am ridiculed… A small little boy, belittled further by those around him, chosen to be the leader of the angels that sought to stop me in my tracks? Oh, how delightful. Your sister, she was a key part for your being undone, Argus… without her, we wouldn't be standing here, and you don't know how my servants are more than willing to rip your heart out!"

"You."

The Dark Lord suddenly stops his bickering. "Excuse me?"

"You… sound so familiar…" Argus began, relaxing in his stance. "You once bragged, but there were dozens of you… But now, I hear only one barking under that suit of armor."

Helcurt snarls, scratching the ground. _"Y-You dare… make fun of the master?!"_

"Silence, Argus! You hold no chance against them!" Zhask threatens, banging the ground with his staff. "I only sought the shards, the life of this world, and nothing more!"

"And yet… history repeats itself," Argus interrupts. "Darkness is the right hand of the Light. We set the balance of Gaius, but you… you always put it at risk, and you blame our interventions for all of this chaos. She is ashamed of what you've done!"

"WHAT I'VE DONE?!" the Dark Lord shouts. "All I've done is do my part!"

"You went too far, just like she said… all for your thirst, there's a reason why you are shunned by the Land of Dawn!"

Argus pulls out his greatsword, slashing the air. His aura illuminated the battlefield as heavenly fire lashed out. His white wings slowly moved to and fro, the gold and silver armor shimmering in the sun.

"I will never forget who you are… and I have never forgotten my true self!" Argus proclaims. "I am, and always will be, the harbinger of her light… the Light of Dawn!"

He points his flaming sword towards the Dark Lord. "You speak of fairness, but your hypocrisy stands out! Your collective wisdom and strength, and yet I know who among the 72 brothers speaks before me! And you will never EVER REACH THE LIFEBLOOD OF THIS WORLD, FOR YOU AND YOUR PITIFUL SERVANTS WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST, ANDRAS!"

Argus steps back and slashes in a semicircle, sending a huge wave of fire and wind around and blowing the Dark Lord and his companions back. The angel notices the demons slowly pouring out as the Gem's force field begins to fluctuate, often disappearing and letting more pass through. It will not be long before they snuff out the wall of fire.

Andras regains his footing, the obsidian armor clacking. "You've doomed yourself, Argus… You and your worthless kingdom will not live to see tomorrow!"

Argus looked around and saw Zhask preparing to summon a Dominator spawn. Vexana lifts her hands, and Ghouls rose from the ground, some of them wearing rusty bits of armor.

"You've beaten me twice, Argus," Alice growls, pools of blood flowing and coursing around her as Helcurt's tail raises, toxin dripping from it. "Once in the heavens, and once more in this earth, 15,000 years ago! And now, I will make sure I get my revenge… AS YOU FIGHT THROUGH HELL ITSELF!"

Hundreds of thousands of demons began pouring down the hills, trying to breach through pillars of flame. Argus grips his greatsword tightly on one hand.

"Caelesti Igni!" he shouts, and the sword ignites, bathed in holy fire. "As long as one stands, you will lose… Fine then… **COME AND GIVE IT A TRY!"**


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: Sower of Discord**

"Aurora."

"Look at him, Hylos," she began. "Argus is fighting all of them at once. It won't be long before a Wretch gets through his wall of fire. We need to decrease the number of enemies to that side while we wait."

"Affirmative. One of my men will inquire Estes," the centaur replies. He watches the scene from the wall. The sky was littered with fiery prominences and dark blasts of energy directed towards Argus. Even with Zhask, Vexana, Alice, Helcurt and the Dark Lord working together, they had a difficult time trying to injure the angel, much less kill him.

"I once warned Estes… that Alucard will fight the Dark Lord early, and that someone will come and save him," the Queen of Ice narrates. "I knew at some point that it would be Argus, but I didn't expect-"

"That the situation would arise like this? It's alright, Aurora, most of us are shaken," Hylos says. "This is what Argus wants. We should let him have it, even if it would cost his life."

"But we need to help him there!"

"We can't," a voice responds.

Hylos and Aurora turn around to see Uranus and Kaja hovering to them.

"Kaja is right, we can't," Uranus supported. "Are you seeing what's unfolding? By the time we enter the field, we can get killed in an instant, whether it be through enemy fire or friendly fire. Even I won't be durable enough to survive the clash. Sure, you can disable the demons breaching through, Aurora, but if you try and make a boulder of ice that you can hurl at the Dark Lord, no doubt, it will just melt and evaporate."

"You can't be so sure," Aurora rejects.

Kaja lands and steps forward. "Aurora, just trust us. I know you want to help…" He sighs, turning his back towards her and the centaur. "Uranus and I… we've seen Argus fight up close. He could kill a thousand demons in a minute, and he was a newly appointed commander back then. It's when there were more adversaries that allied the Dark Lord. The rampage was overwhelming, even for us back then. Argus could carve through hordes in an instant, and that's without the blade he is using now."

Aurora stopped in her tracks and began to think deeply. "Oh…"

"He is one of the strongest to ever exist in Gaius," the bronze guardian adds. "Now let me ask you this question: If Argus is already delivering a punishment to them out there, then how about Lunox? Only a few really get to live to tell the tale, Aurora. And with all due respect, the spectacle that you're witnessing right now? That is power, in its purest form, and I don't think that's even half of what we must conceive."

Meanwhile…

"Zhask, concentrate!" Vexana scolds, unleashing projectiles of green energy towards Argus. "We need to put him down!"

"I am trying, but he is too fast!" the alien commander exclaims. "How is he dodging my projectiles?!"

Argus dives down and slashes sideward, using the momentum to spin like a top as his feet hit the ground. Alice yelps as she almost gets caught by the attack, a cauterized gash appearing on her arm. She winces and steps back, but Argus immediately stops spinning and throws his claw, catching Alice by the leg. He yanks himself upward and detaches, gaining altitude and slams the butt of his sword to Alice's skull, sending her crashing to the soft grass. However, the tips of the grass seem to dig to her skin, causing dozens of small cuts to appear on her shoulders and her back.

"AH! The leaves… they're like cacti! Don't trip!" she warns. "You bastard… YOU WON'T GET AWAY!"

Vexana uses her dark energy to animate large, skeletal hands. She lifts them up and prepares them so that she can swat Argus down. The angel flies around, dodging the Dark Lord's black swords and axes. The Necromancer sees the opening and claps with her large hands, crushing Argus between them. Suddenly, Argus slices through them in a split second, breaking free. His wings extend as he charges down towards Vexana, grabbing her by the face. Argus flies about a few feet above the ground and slams her to the ground, the dirt and grass scattering everywhere. Vexana lets out muffled screams, trying to scratch at Argus' arm with her hands, but Argus slowly lifts upward and drives her to the earth even deeper, the bladed grass nearly severing her leg. The seraphim pulls her up and lands, sliding on the ground with ease, and rotates, throwing Vexana towards the Dark Lord. The black knight telekinetically catches her in mid-air and puts her to the ground, right-side up. Vexana immediately falls to her knees, coughing up loam and blood. Multiple leaves of grass were embedded on her skin, and a large cut was on her left leg.

"Ugh… that menace…"

"Back off!" the Dark Lord commands her. "I will deal with him myself." He raises his metal hands, creating even more blades from the void, but as soon as he turns his head, Argus was already charging with insane speed, raising his sword to stab the Dark Lord. The spirit quickly casts a barrier with his hands in time, but the kinetic force of the charge sends them zooming around the field. The Dark Lord forcefully pushes back in order to escape the push. Before he could even start preparing more weapons, Argus was already curving his trajectory like a fireball.

The angel comes in contact with the Dark Lord, and the black spirit blocks Argus' sword with the palms of his hands. However, it was evident that he was struggling to push it back.

"This is madness, Andras!" Argus began, pushing his sword even harder. "This isn't glory… you're rasing Gaius apart!"

Andras unleashes a blast to Argus, throwing the angel off. "What I bring is not destruction, seraphim! I bring a new era, one of fulfillment!"

"Even with the knowledge of your brothers, you remain thoughtless. This isn't what she wants. This is not balance!" Argus runs, using his wings to achieve flight. Helcurt suddenly sprints from the side, leaping towards Argus and hoping to knock him down. The angel suddenly stops in his tracks, digging his feet to the ground. He corkscrews into the air from the sudden stop as Helcurt nears. Argus slashes downward with his sword as he lands back on his feet to sidestep, missing a gigantic dark blade from Andras by mere inches. Helcurt rolls to the dirt, screeching in pain as a huge gash appears on his back with second-degree burns covering it.

" _A-A-A-Alice! W-We c-c-cannot… f-face him!"_

Argus flies up again, another huge sword trailing him from behind. The Dark Lord rises to the air and guides the swords around as they chase Argus. The angel rockets upward for a few seconds before slowly falling back down in a 90 degree angle, maneuvering perfectly around the huge blades. Argus dives directly towards the Dark Lord and slices the air, throwing a huge wave of fire at the spirit. Andras blocks the flame with his aura, but Argus zooms as the wave comes in contact, preventing Andras to react properly. The angel tackles the Dark Lord and they fall to the ground, rolling. Argus balls up and skids far, easily gaining back his footing. Andras gets up and winces from the pain, some of the leaves of grass puncturing the armor. The Dark Lord grunts, expelling the dirt off.

"That does it… I need to kill you now, traitor!"

Zhask runs up to the Dark Lord as Argus begins to charge again. The alien summons a Dominator spawn in front of them, shooting a purple laser to the angel. Argus' aura diminishes the laser, but he stops in his tracks as Zhask forces the spawn to grow larger, further maximizing the output of the beam. The flames around Argus begin to intensify, but Zhask summons more spawns one by one, pushing Argus back due to the force. The Dominators grew larger, and now, five of them were concentrating their fire towards the seraphim. The Dark Lord clenches his fists and lets out a beam of void energy to Argus, and the angel curves his wings forward to block them.

"No matter the outcome, you and your friends will never win, Argus!" Zhask yells, summoning two more spawns. "In fact, you cannot! You and that boy can go to hell!"

Suddenly, Argus' aura glows even bright and hotter, somewhat overpowering the combined lasers. Vexana steps up and summons more specters and Ghouls, tens and hundreds of them running towards him with their weapons raised. Alice jumps high and throws a blood orb to tackle Argus down. The angel growls in rage and yells, the aura shadowing the beams. A bright explosion occurs from within him, the flames bursting outward as high as twenty meters to the sky like an atom bomb before dissipating. Zhask, Vexana and Andras gets flown backward to their butts, the former two suffering from the spiny leaves of grass. Alice received the worst, as she teleported to her orb as soon as the field erupted. She was lying down whimpering, around fifty meters away from the epicenter with third-degree burns on her face and arms. Her face was deformed and her wing was slightly tattered.

Argus slashes into the air and draws his blade, Caelesti Igni, black scorch marks extending forth to the ground around him. He turns his eyes to the wall. Some of the demons were already stacking on top of their own bodies to extinguish the flame and pass through. The angel grimaces and sets his eyes to his enemies, already trying to stand up.

"You know many things about me, Zhask, many but one… IT'S THAT I NEVER QUIT, AND I WILL NEVER BACK DOWN!"

Meanwhile…

" _Does she ring a bell to you, bro? Maybe she's someone you met before?"_

" _Sorry for the inconvenience. We will explain everything to you for the time being."_

Alucard tries to flutter his eyes open, but they remained shut. He felt unfamiliar forces acting on him, as if he was falling… or floating, or levitating? He didn't know. What he knew was that he's not unconscious, and that his feet are not on the ground.

" _The problem was never just the time."_

" _We only took of this worldwide phenomenon a few months ago."_

" _Disassemble the carapace?"_

" _All of what happens, happens for a proper reason, Demon Hunter."_

" _I am sorry if we have to keep secrets from you."_

" _Estes, we need to tell him now."_

" _Right now, your friends will need you, most especially him."_

"Hello?! Anyone? Somebody!" Alucard calls out, trying to shout, but he felt as if his cries were muffled. He tries to internalize. "Wait… my arm… I thought I lost it!"

" _The Dark Lord knows it's not yet the time."_

" _I thought you wouldn't comprehend."_

" _I thought I'd owe you one."_

" _So, what's all the commotion about again?"_

" _You need to fend for yourself, Alucard! Attend to your friends!"_

" _Now that you're awake, the first thing you say to me is, 'Are you alright?' NO, I AM NOT, ALUCARD! ARE YOU THAT SELFLESS?!"_

" _You are destined for more, my child. Don't let my suffering be for naught."_

" _Take it from someone merely half a man, yet full of heart… Someone willing to die alongside his friends."_

"Chou! Yinsen! Ruby! Lolita!" Alucard shouts, frantically trying to find someone. "Saber! Estes?! Help! I can't move! I don't know where I am! Augh… my head hurts…"

He clutches his head and curls in a fetal position, trying to stop the voices from ringing in his mind.

" _If you think things are as planned out as they are supposed to be in here, you're wrong."_

" _That cannot happen. They are preoccupied to other matters."_

" _WATCH YOURSELF, ALUCARD!"_

" _What's important is that we prepare, and-"_

" _I know what you did. That was in total control."_

" _What are you doing standing there? Kill something!"_

" _The Land of Dawn may have had years of preparation, but we? We had millennia to spare. That alone proves our superiority!"_

" _SHOW ME!"_

" _Wait, who is this 'Lunox' character?"_

" _She's all around us, watching us quietly, acting as the balance."_

"No, shut up! Why am I hearing all of you?! Where am I?! I need to wake up!" Alucard slams his fists to his head. "Wake up! Alucard, c'mon, wake up, goddamnit!"

" _You look like someone who has seen a ghost."_

" _She's out cold. Don't wake her up."_

" _Only the inevitable."_

" _There will still be light beyond the endless darkness, hero. What matters is that you find it in yourself, for it's what makes us strong… Hope."_

" _Consider this our thank you… For reminding us what's worth the most."_

" _Alucard!"_

" _You will fall into shambles!"_

" _Not your fault, okay? Never your fault."_

" _WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GET OUT OF HERE!"_

" _ALUCARD!"_

" _End of the line, Alucard!"_

" _Alu, wake up!"_

" _Wake up!"_

" _WAKE UP, ALUCARD!"_

" _Alucard… R-Run…"_

" _THEY WILL NOT DIE IN VAIN!"_

" _WAKE UP!"_

"COME ON!" Alucard shouts, flailing his arms around. "WHY WON'T YOU OPEN YOUR EYES?!"

" _Alucard… listen to me, just this once!"_

" _Alu, I'm right here. I'm right here."_

" _Get up, Child of the Fall."_

" _Wake up!"_

" _ALU! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"_

"Wake up."

Alucard finally opens his eyes wide and clear. His vision was blurry for the first few seconds, forcing him to squint. As he rubbed his eyes, he finally gets a clean view of where he really was.

"What… on… earth…"

He was in space. Well, not necessarily space. All around him, humongous lines of white cosmic dust covered his whole field of view. More and more dots of white and pale yellow peppered and spread around like table salt. The whole landscape was mainly a dark, blue-green color with a rich, grunge texture, as if Alucard was floating on a messy painting. That is, if a painting had 3D, no… 4D effects. For Alucard, everything felt surreal.

"W-Where am I?" Alucard mutters. He touches his face. He still looked the same, but his clothes and skin were absurdly clean and neat. There was no more extreme growth of spikes and scales on the right half of his body. There was no blood on his clothes or on his skin. The hunter looked around, trying to maneuver around in a gyroscopic fashion. He notices that his greatsword was missing. It's as if he is floating on water, but he wasn't sinking, nor rising. He was staying put.

"What… What is this place? Is someone else here?"

"Yes."

Alucard suddenly jerked his body in surprise, looking around frantically. A familiar person was floating directly on his line of sight, a few meters away. It didn't take long for Alucard to know who it was as he notices the black patch on her blond hair, as well as her sharply curved, featherless wings, nearly reaching her feet. Her right wing contained a moderately sized sphere of purple energy, swirling with intensity. Her left wing, however, was white instead of pitch black, and it held a small orb of yellow energy, and it seemed to fade and blink every few seconds.

"Don't worry, Alucard. I won't hurt you. You're safe here."

"Lunox…" he began, stammering. "I… I don't understand, what is this place?"

The Twilight Goddess smiled at him, slowly extending her arms outward to the sides. "Oh, all of this? This, Alucard, is a concept… a dream. An idea, both beautiful and destructive, melancholic, full of shattered beliefs, overshadowed by gloom and despair. This is where I reside now. This… is my dream world, and Gaius will suffer this grim fate if the Dark Lord wins."

"W-What? No… that can't be…"

"This is what happens to your world if we fail to stop him, Alucard. That's why I'm here to guide you before you fight against him. And we should hurry, for it won't be long before he overpowers Argus and advances to the Land of Dawn. I am afraid that your friends might only barely survive a minute against him."

Meanwhile…

"Guys… the Gem."

Chou slowly approached the large artifact, noticing it glow brighter than usual. He couldn't distinguish the outline of Alucard's body on the Gem, as if his body was simply swallowed by the crystal.

"What about the Gem?" Bruno asks. "Something wrong?"

"No, no, it's just growing brighter than usual, Bruno. Just watch Lolita, she needs it."

"Okay, as you say so. Remind me that it's your fault if the crystal blows up on our faces or something like-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Chou grumbles. He turns around and slowly walks towards the Protector, watching over Lolita who was leaning against one of the citadel's pillars. "Good gracious… status?"

"Skull fracture, five broken ribs, shattered femur, dislocated hand… Damn," Yinsen answers, approaching them. "Estes tried to heal her up as much as he could, but the bone damage is still apparent. She cannot move until the mending is complete. It will take around an hour, but she will have difficulty standing up if she recovers."

"The hammer is still good, right?"

"Of course! That thing is rather indestructible, really. A few scratches and dents, but still works," Bruno assures. "Layla is holding up even with a missing ear… But she's rather woozy."

"I'm fine, Bruno, thank you," Layla sarcastically responds, leaning to one of the pillars as she stood, her cannon on the floor. "I'm alright… sort of."

"L-Layla…"

"Lolita?" the gunner asked, bewildered. She rushes towards the elf. "Hey! You're alive!"

Chou slaps Layla's shoulder lightly. "Wrong choice of words, airhead."

"Layla… ow… my head is ringing…"

"Stay still, Lolita. Estes put your jigsaw bones back together, but they're still kind of detached," Chou explains. "Seriously, you took one hell of a beating! I doubt I'd even survive getting slammed like that."

"Not… fun…" the elf groans, adjusting her position. "Not fun… at all. Don't… go head on…"

"Well, at least you tried. Bought us some time," Layla replies. "All of us were basically pinned back there. Don't worry, we're holed up here for the meantime. The last line of defense."

"Where… is he?"

Bruno scratches his head. "Who? The edgelord? Oh, he and his side women, the angry cat, and the praying mantis are fighting Argus, a legit 1v5. Argus is owning them."

"R-Really…? Y-Yay…"

"Yes, I know. If only we were able to watch him," Yinsen adds. "We're stuck here. Estes and his Royal Guard are just outside waiting. Aurora and a few more heroes are outside, just waiting in line to die- I mean, to hold the Dark Lord off. I hope Argus gets to kill one or two of these idiots. Would save us all of the trouble."

"Do you really think he can do that?" Chou asked. "Don't get me wrong, but… he's fighting against five of the strongest enemies we've faced, not to mention the demons trying to get through his wall of fire. If he dies, so does the hot barrier."

"I thought the Gem would hold the demons back," Layla conversed. "Isn't the force field up?"

"The energies on that thing are fluctuating like hell," Bruno answers. "Jumping up and down like a kid on a sugar rush. Probably some unusual activity happening inside the thing… I hope Alucard is alright. I don't understand why you have to put him inside that thing. Heh, who knows? Maybe he'll just burst out of there and _BOOM!_ Mission accomplished!"

Meanwhile…

"Did he really just say that?" Alucard complains, watching the conversation between his four friends. The visual scene disappears from the landscape, slowly returning back to the interstellar infinity like rippling water. "Bruno can be the worst."

Lunox giggles and puts down her hand, floating closer to Alucard. "Well, yes, he is rather humorous, but he is determined, Alucard. He belongs alongside the others, more ways than one."

"Yeah… It's just awful that he got caught up with all of this mess," the hunter says, shaking his head. "He acts rebellious, but I know he must be afraid inside."

"All of us have a part in this war, they're simply fulfilling it. Hylos, Franco, Irithel, Zhao, Akai, Hayabusa, everyone. They wouldn't be here without a proper reason, and I can say the same to you, now that you're here with me."

Alucard slowly looked down, trying to think. "So… um… the Dark Lord."

"Yes?" Lunox asks, looking rather confident. "Oh, I see what you mean. He's our greatest threat. You've seen what he can do, and he was just fighting all of you again for the first time in thousands of years. You've heard him speak as if his cause is right."

"I know, it's rather painstaking to hear. But… I think he is trying to prove us a point, Lunox," Alucard remarks. "Not going to lie, he is desperate to stand up for it."

"Our beliefs are as strong as our physical capabilities, and he holds a concept so concrete, yet so immense. Ideas are what fuel our drive, and made us into what we are."

"Okay, I might need to stop you right there. If that's what you say, then… how come you're like… that?" Alucard asks, pointing and twisting his finger around Lunox. "They told me that-"

"Light and Dark merged as one? To put it simply, yes. But in something conceivable? It's more than that, Alucard. Estes, Kaja, Uranus, Hylos… they are old, and yet, such topics, such thoughts are hard to translate, even for them."

"So, what you're trying to tell me is that real power comes from our faith?"

"As strange as it sounds, Alucard, but it's true. You've fought against Alice and her acquaintances, I assume? You outmatched them, remember? They are really as strong as they say, in a physical sense. But their mindsets are torn. They lack focus, coordination, unlike the Dark Lord, who has truly set his sights on the Genesys Gem. That's why you beat them, until you lost control as well and let the Shadowbringer get to you."

"Alright, point taken… So, the same thing is happening to Argus?"

"As for Argus, he is more than just a leader," the Twilight Goddess adds, a serene expression on her face. "He is my harbinger of the Light."

"And I guess you have one for the Dark as well?"

"Leomord." Lunox turned her back to Alucard and stretched out her right arm forward. She slowly opens her palm and turns her arm to the right, creating a projection that covers the interstellar space. Alucard squints in order to view the panoramic scene better.

"Leomord?"

"Vexana's strongest knight, Leomord was risen from the dead and pledged total allegiance to her queen. His soul is righteous, and I deemed him the perfect representative, knowing that his mind is clear and absolute, unhindered and undistracted. It was a struggle to choose wisely, Alucard. I could've chosen someone else. I was glad that I made the right choice…"

The panorama shows Leomord, riding a brown stallion with glowing blue eyes that wore sharp, silver armor, charging through different warriors that allied with the Land of Dawn. He wielded a lance and used it to pierce through the lines, seemingly unstoppable.

"With Oath Keeper, his sword, and Barbiel, his beloved steed, they gave way for the Dark Lord's demons and helped him gain an edge. But I didn't know him by that time, for I was lost in thought due to the loss of my parents. We found each other in the middle of the woods near the Wastelands, and the initial encounter wasn't comforting."

"What happened?"

"I subdued him, but I noticed his true intentions. He didn't fight for the Dark Lord. He fought for his queen. No matter how cruel his actions, his mindset didn't change. I was thankful that we were alone as we met, for if demons accompanied him, there would've been unnecessary slaughter."

Alucard nodded, somewhat interested. "He didn't fight back once he recovered?"

"He was courteous, friendly, kind. Barbiel may seem like a brute, but the steed was rather playful as well. We cherished our time in the forests for months on end, never minding the problems outside. I guess it's safe to admit that we fell for each other…"

"Was he good?"

Lunox turned to Alucard, looking confused. "In what aspect?"

"You know, in…" Alucard tries to make a gesture, but stops. "Okay, forget I asked that. Sounded wrong. Anyway, what happened next? I don't think you'd escape the trouble that long."

"We were foolish, in a way. Thinking we can flee and avoid responsibility. I saw the light in Leomord's eyes. I can still give him the opportunity to prove himself, to prove that he is beyond an enemy to the eyes of the Lords of Order. I appointed him harbinger of Dark during our time together… but it wasn't long before… before he came."

Alucard pushes his arms back, floating closer to Lunox. "He?"

"One of seventy-two demons, Alucard. One of seventy-two demons that make up the Dark Lord. Their collective memory and consciousness and power against Estes and his fighters. He… he took Leomord away in secret and punished him for his absence, brutally. Leomord… he was never the same again. His body may not be fragile, but his will was, because of what… of what they did to him."

"Wait, wait, who is this 'he'?"

"The evil brothers were strong, but one rose above them all." Lunox stares at the panorama, and the scene changes, slowly reforming Leomord's figure into a dark silhouette, a grim aura enveloping it. Alucard recognizes the obsidian armor that encased the malevolent spirit. The design was slightly altered, but apparent and cannot be mistaken.

"His name is Andras, the Sower of Discord. He is the epitome of chaos. Some of his brothers, like Phenex, Vual, and Beleth, favored peace and unity over tyranny. Not all of the brothers sought destruction, but Andras cast them out himself."

(At this point, the panorama shows an intense scene of the Old War, warriors upon warriors clashing against hordes upon hordes of demons, Andras and a few of his brothers at the back. Alice, Vexana, Leomord, and two unknown individuals: a red-haired juggernaut with thick-layered armor and wielding a large hammer and a fire demon with large horns, sporting two huge scythes that scorched the ground.)

"Andras thought he had won the war. But I knew about his actions, I knew about what he did… what he and his brethren did, which disrupted the balance. So I intervened, not because I was furious, but it was the appropriate course of action."

Alucard witnesses a figure resembling Lunox appear in a flash of energy between the clashing sides, unleashing orbs and projectiles of Light and Dark, easily obliterating the hordes of demons. The Dark Lord and his servants retreated, but Lunox advanced, unrelenting with her assault. Andras and his brothers tries to flee, but Estes and a few Archimedians begin restraining them. The large fire demon attempts to fight back, but Argus stabs his sword straight to its chest.

"Thamuz and Terizla were easily vanquished. Alice and Vexana were imprisoned after the ordeal, and Andras and his brothers are trapped within the Dreadmare Chest and left to fade in Keva Infernus. I had to kill Leomord myself in the process. But history repeats itself, whether in miniscule or terrifying magnitude. Helcurt, Faramis, Selena, and many more have tried disrupting the balance all for the sake of power and revenge, and heroes step up to join noble causes, spanning across capitals, dimensions, universes alike… And the enemy falls down along with them."

Lunox turns to face Alucard, the orbs of energy encased by her wings now in moderate size. "You know what this means, Alucard. The New War has escalated in such anarchy that rivals the Old War. The only way to end this… is through sacrifice. To save everyone else, no matter where they are…"

"You don't mean-"

"Yes, hunter. I hypothesized everything. This is the only chance we have, and that is to bring Andras down with you. Gaius will fall… but it's a small price to pay to let the other worlds live to see tomorrow."

Meanwhile…

Argus begins dashing close to the wall of fire, cutting his sword through the flames and slicing down the demons that began crawling. Beyond his field of view, meteors of ice and storms of lightning clear out the demon-infested space.

"Well done, Eudora!" Freya compliments. "At least Argus won't have much of a hassle."

"Looks easy, but it isn't," the mage replies, sending another blast of lightning as she is boosted by two Archimedians. "We have to constantly bombard the demons, or Argus might have to fight Wretches."

"Or Shadowbringers," Hayabusa adds. "Can't they blink through the wall? I haven't seen one."

"Dude, only Helcurt can do that," Zhao answers. "But still. I think Argus already has those five scumbags on the ropes!"

"But he's growing tired. I'm noticing his aura dwindling. He might get overwhelmed soon…"

"I hope he kills someone when that happens, Freya."

She doesn't respond. Freya simply sits down, looking fatigued. But she wasn't tired of fighting. She may be injured, but she wasn't tired of trading blows.

"Freya? Hey, you alright?" Miya asks, worried. "You look haggard. You're not like that."

"Yeah… I know…"

"Is something wrong?"

"I should've confessed earlier…"

"Confess?" the archer questions, confused. "Freya, what's there to confess? We checked your movements, you did nothing wrong."

"No… not that kind of confession!" Freya half-yelled, raising her voice. "S-Sorry… I'm just-"

"Okay, girl, calm down. Tell me slowly, Freya. What is it."

"I… I should've told him earlier, before he fought them. How could I be so dumb?"

"What? What are you trying to say? What should you have told Argus?"

"He's oblivious, there were just so many hints…" Freya stammers, her hands shaking. "I've known him ever since I was young… a corrupted angel with a forgotten past. I fought him, and I brought back his old self again! I cared, but… but it was more than that…"

"Freya…"

"Argus… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry."

"Freya, don't cry, it's alright-"

"No, it's not that simple! I… I should've told him, before he went there, then he shouldn't have fought them at all. I could've been with him, but now, I don't have a choice… I'm sorry, Argus, for being afraid… For not being completely honest with you."

Meanwhile…

"Yield, Andras!"

"This has just started, Argus!" Andras releases a clone and charges at Argus, dark blades rising from the ground. Argus uses the flat of his sword to block the ram. The clone impacts hard on the angel, forcing Argus to slide backwards with his feet on the ground. The projection charges at Argus again, using powerful melee strikes and kicks to make him drop his sword. Argus gets punched at his helmet, its silver alloy slowly being scratched off bit by bit. He intensifies his fiery aura, causing the clone to back off with blitzkrieg speed.

"You dare use clones?!" Argus makes his move and dashes to the Dark Lord (not the clone), simply passing through the copy without slashing at it with his blade. Argus fakes a light strike, making Andras raise his arms and cover his upper body. He doesn't see the angel's foot, going downward, and Argus lands a hit on Andras' kneecap, forcing him to kneel. The Dark Lord lowers his arms, but Argus lands a swift uppercut, making Andras rise and leave him open to Argus' blade kick, the black armor receiving a huge dent. The spirit rolls to the ground, apparently hurt. Small scorch marks lined the dents.

"Ugh… insolent… wretch! Helcurt!"

"Coming, master!" The Shadowbringer jumps behind Argus, and the angel ducks instinctively. Helcurt rolls and recovers immediately, clawing at Argus' legs. The angel simply corkscrews in mid-air and whacks Helcurt away with the dull edge of the gold sword. As soon as Argus stands up, he was hit by a numbing bolt of lightning from Zhask, who was hiding behind a rock. More and more arcs of lightning gets released from his purple staff, forcing Argus to stumble, but all it could do is just faze him.

"Vexana! Your Ghouls!"

The Necromancer summons specters that force their hands out of the grass, clinging to Argus' feet. The angel struggles to get them off, striking his sword to the ground. He hovers upward, away from their grip. Argus prepares to strike his sword to the ground, but Alice leaps from the side, pushing Argus down and slowly dragging him towards the grass, thinking it would hurt him as well.

It didn't. Instead of trying harder, the succubus simply slams Argus multiple times to the ground, preventing him from making any sort of action. The arms of the specters successfully restrain Argus' left arm, but not his right. The angel recalls his greatsword, the cap of the sword hitting Alice square on her occipital, making her woozy. Argus pushes her off and extends his wings, the feathers digging to the ground. The plumes were set aflame, burning the specters down as Argus rises, mowing down a group of Ghouls in a circle, causing them to disintegrate to ash. He tries to dash towards Vexana, but his vision suddenly blackens.

" _Ready for your atonement, traitor? Your m-m-murders will not go unpunished!"_

Argus tries to see clearly, the glow of his burning aura his only light. He could feel a continuous, pushing force hurting him from behind, and powerful punches and claws striking him. His armor and his sword will hold the impacts, but Argus needs to get out.

" _Where are you, Helcurt? You've been bothering me and everyone else for too long!"_

He slashes blindly in the air, knowing that the sword can still throw waves of flame. He turns quickly and gains the momentum to spin like a blind razor, rings of fire bursting forth from his sword. Beyond his sight, the Ghouls and specters easily burns to dust, but Zhask and Vexana dodged. The alien shoots more lightning bolts at Argus, and the angel loses his footing and falls to his knees. Vexana throws orbs of green energy, exploding upon contact with Argus. He struggles to turn around, the armor on his wings slowly decaying and deteriorating from the continuous blasts. Argus successfully faces the blasts and uses his blade to block them. The projectiles ricocheted off of the edge of the blade, nearly backfiring directly to the two. Thinking that the assault was over, Argus turns back and tries to find Helcurt.

Alice was still there. She pounces on Argus and enters her Drinking State, slowly sapping his energy away as she begins to claw at his torso. Argus covers himself with his right arm and tries to recall the sword with his left, but a blade impales his wrist to the ground, locking him down.

"Argh… your blood is poison!" Alice shrieks, digging her claws into Argus' face, trying to wedge through the slits. "For years, I cannot live with the thought of not being able to beat you, but now, my wish has been fulfilled!"

Argus grunts in frustration, trying to find a way out, then he remembers something.

"All of this to win against me?"

"I've waited for years, Argus! I'm not waiting anymore!"

"Then wait longer." He launches the claw of his left arm, grabbing the handle of the sword, which was a few meters away from him. The claw retracts and throws the sword into the air, straight into Argus' right hand. As he grips the handle, he slashes in front of him, driving Alice backward via a wave of fire, burning her skin. She groans from the pain, trying to stand up as Argus removes the black sword nailed to his arm. He hears slight whooshing behind his ears, meaning that he dodged the Dark Lord's swords just in time. The bad part is, he's still blind.

" _Wings are tired… Armor weakening… I need to find him."_

"You've fought well, seraphim," Andras said, his voice resonating in Argus' head. "But your fight ends now!"

Argus could hear a faint, eerie laughter within the Dark Lord's words. He is cloaking Helcurt's sound as he races to Argus with his tail raised and ready to inject. The angel looks around in a panic, trying to find Helcurt. He couldn't see anything in the darkness… until a grey outline appeared, closing in on him.

" _Got you."_

He turns his head, pretending that he didn't see the Shadowbringer, and in a split second, grabs Helcurt by the neck as soon as he attempts to pounce on the angel. Argus' vision returns, and Helcurt was suffocating from his grip, desperately trying to scratch and injure his hand.

" _Y-Y-You… how d-did you… urgh!"_

"There was a chance for your race to flourish… If only you've been understanding!" Argus tightens his grip, nearly breaking Helcurt's neck. His aura makes the Shadowbringer's cloak catch on fire, slowly turning to cinders.

Helcurt's face was fully exposed. He had a bald head and the skin on it was completely wrinkled. Helcurt bore no ears, but had holes on either side of his head. His razor-sharp teeth were fully exposed, but most of them were yellowish or broken. Helcurt screamed in despair as the sunlight hurts his vision.

" _M-MY EYES! I.. I C-CAN'T S-S-S-SEE! MAAAAASSSTEEERRRRR!"_

"Let Helcurt go!" Vexana warns. "Or else…"

"Too late," Argus hissed. "The real traitor will atone for his sins."

" _MASSSTEERRRRR-"_

Argus crushes Helcurt's neck and snaps it, his head silent and lifeless. He chucks his body into the air and slashes upward with his flaming sword as the corpse fell, cutting the body in half. The halves slowly burned in yellow flame, as if it was cremated… And Helcurt was gone. All that was left was his broken tooth, dislodged and left on the ground.

"RASCAL!" Andras yells in anger. "YOU WILL SUFFER A PAINFUL DEATH!"

The angel opens the palm of his left hand, Helcurt's blood soaking the armor. He clenches his fist and sets his arm on his left, drawing his sword.

"One down… Four to go!"

Argus runs straight to Andras. The Dark Lord throws swords and axes from the void, but Argus dodges them easily. One of them hits his shoulder, but he keeps on sprinting, barely even hurt. The angel pushes his blade to the Dark Lord's chest, but Andras catches the sword, his hands pressing on the flats of the blade. Andras twists his arms and with a swift upward motion, sends the sword skyrocketing. The black knight charges his energy and pushes Argus back to gain some space. Andras himself charges to the seraphim, his fists clenched. He lands a clear punch to Argus's helmet, slightly denting it. With a flurry of blows to the angel, Andras manages to prevent Argus from retaliating, letting Zhask and Vexana open for more shooting opportunities while Alice prepares for the supporting ambush.

"Argus is barely hurt!" Vexana notes, growing tired from her assault. "It must be his wings!"

The wings were just part of the problem. Argus' aura was also taking part, as well as his new power. Even Andras was having difficulty making the angel's knees buckle a bit. He stops the rampage and backs, generating two clones. The clones lifted their hands and raised the ground, forcing a large wall of dirt to be conjured. Argus breathes heavily and recalls his greatsword from the air, returning back to his normal strength. He dashes and cleaves through the wall of dirt, as well as the clones. Argus was about to reach the Dark Lord, but Alice intervenes successfully, catching Argus and tackling him to the ground. The angel rolls and recuperates, trying to bring the sword back, but Zhask spawns two Dominators between Argus and attacks him, cutting off the link immediately. Vexana nears the wall of fire, figuring out an idea to let the demons get through.

"Alice, hold Argus still!"

She begins to raise dozens of Ghouls and specters and commands them to go to the wall with a point of her index finger. They briskly dived to the wall, covering the scorching ground with their bodies and ethereal spirits. They slowly begin to snuff out the heat faster than the flame could recover. A Hellhound attempts to breach, but immediately burns to ash. Vexana needs bigger monsters to fight against Argus. The corners of the wall are easily being breached, but it's not enough for them to infiltrate the Land of Dawn. The wall was spanning for kilometers. They had to eliminate the angel in order to gain the upper hand.

"Faster, you swines!" Vexana grumbles. "Kill the angel!"

More and more Ghouls topple over their own kin, extinguishing a small section of the wall. A few Ravagers get in, rather confused and surprised. As soon as they saw Argus, they sprinted in haste. Alice continues to claw at him, being able to target his midsection other than his head. Argus kicks her groin and rolls on his front, trying to stand, but the Ravagers catch up to him climbing onto his back. Before they could sink their jaws into him, Argus extends his wings, recovering a segment of his aura. The Dark Lord conjures swords in haste and throws them down to Argus, but the angel rolls out of the way, covering himself with his six wings. It doesn't take long before Andras decides to defend as a volley of silver knives suddenly get launched at him, forcing him to descend. Argus stops spinning and notices the change in his wings. Most of the feathers have already begun merging with the gold and silver armor, slowly turning them into sharp blades of gilded steel. As Argus recalls his greatsword with his hand, he spins around, using his wings as a shield against Zhask and his spawns. A few Kastiyans began firing through the wall of flame, trying to hit the angel, but a stray shot hits the alien commander square on the shoulder, making him drop his staff. Argus stops attempting to recall his greatsword and hastily grabs Zhask's staff, dodging Andras' black swords.

"Give it back!" Zhask screeches. He runs, but Argus charges and butts the alien's chest with the staff, nearly breaking Zhask's skin. Purple blood began oozing from the injury, and Zhask coughed up some of it as well.

"My sword can't kill you… but your staff can!" Argus unleashes a bolt of lightning from the stick, electrocuting his foe. The spawns also lose their focus, swinging their nozzle-like heads and spitting their lasers in random intervals. The angel rolls out of a projectile and aims the staff at Zhask once more, noticing that his limbs are already being scorched inside out.

"N-n-nooo! I won't… let you… kill me!"

Argus yells and pokes the staff harder against Zhask, a moderately severe dent on the alien's upper chest. He pokes it even harder, not letting Zhask recuperate. After a series of shocking blows, Argus backs and dashes, breaking the sound barrier and completely punctures Zhask with the staff before swinging it around like a sling. Argus releases more lightning as Zhask could no longer speak. He was only gurgling from the blood flooding his throat. Caelesti Igni flies overhead, knocking Andras before he could stop Argus' assault. It sidetracks and slashes at Vexana on her side, interrupting the flow of demons that were entering through the wall of flame. The sword begins zooming towards Argus. The seraphim stops and runs straight to it, preparing to swing the staff like a batter reaching for the home run. Instead, Argus throws the staff as Sun would throw his cudgel, spinning wildly with Zhask's body in tow. Both the staff and the sword collide in a frenzy of fire and lightning, but the sword survives, recalling back to Argus' hand. The spawns around suddenly begin shaking uncontrollably, forks of electricity extending outwards from them.

Vexana shouts, "Retreat! They will explode!"

Sure enough, they did. The Dominators (along with Zhask's body) bursts into a mess of viscera and lightning, corrosively burning the grassy ground. Some of the debris skyrocketed upward, nearly reaching the top of the wall of flame. Argus zips around, using his wings for cover and to avoid retaliation by Andras.

But not Vexana's.

She sees Argus and ensnares him with her green energy, tendrils of smoke restraining him. Argus manages to break free, homing closer towards the Necromancer. A large Wretch manages to break free from the pillars of fire, rushing towards the angel. In response, Argus sidesteps and changes direction, slashing diagonally and cutting the Wretch in half, making it lopsided. The demon crawls in agony, trying to run, but Argus digs his sword deep into hits belly and slices it open, spilling the Wretch's intestines. It makes a loud, gurgling sound, blood bubbling from its jaws.

" _I can't do this…"_ Argus internally spoke, panting. _"I need… to kill Vexana… and Alice…"_

He doesn't notice a herd of Hellhounds sprinting to his direction. Argus grunts, trying to swing his greatsword with his tired arms, releasing a wave of flame towards the demons and incinerating them. Far behind them, a few Wretches burst through the wall, apparently only minimally injured. Alice was behind them, now throwing projectiles of blood at Argus. The angel blocks one with his hands, but the armor slowly began to melt and deteriorate.

" _She's not going closer… she'll wait before I'm vulnerable enough…"_

Argus spins his sword and angles them straight forward, his left arm supporting its weight. He then dashes with incredible speed, cutting through the Wretches easily. Argus ducks under a Wretch's jaws and stabs it. Using the momentum, he guts it from below and spills its insides before using his wings to gain flight. Andras appears, rising above the carcasses of the Wretches and throws his swords at Argus, all the while unleashing dark bolts of energy. One of the bolts strikes Argus' left lower wing, and the feathers grow rusty and matted with soot.

" _Argh… I need more space… I need more space! The others can't help me, best thing they can do is stop the demons from pouring in!"_

"You cannot run, Argus! This is your legacy… All angels fall!" Andras yells, generating clones one by one, trailing Argus and attempting to shish-kebab him. "And all of your friends behind the walls will learn what it's like to lose."

"Quit talking and try to kill me!" Argus taunts. He flies sideward, isolating each clone in order to finish them off easily. Argus knows the Dark Lord's exact location. "The time will come, and so will he!"

"Who, the boy? The prophecy should have chosen you, out of all the rest! But no! They chose someone… an ant among this world!"

Argus barrel-rolls around the airspace, coming in contact with Andras and dematerializing the demons. The Dark Lord struggles to break the grip, stabbing Argus multiple times with his swords. The two crash to the ground, but Argus doesn't let go and holds on to the Dark Lord. He regains footing after several rolls and throws him off far away while Argus stops, using his sword as an anchor to keep him still. Four punctures were on his leg, shoulder and chest. A horn from his helmet was broken, while the other was chipped. Gold ichor slowly poured out of Argus' wounds.

" _Don't die yet… come on…"_

Argus tries to run, but a wave of blood hits his back, coating his wings with corrosive red fluid. He slashes behind him, not minding the pain. Alice uses the glare of the sun to hide and pounces on Argus from above. The angel rolls out of the way and folds his wings to prevent them from getting damaged, but Argus knows that two of his wings had lost a large portion of his feathers while one of them was completely dead. Droplets of blood dripped on his armor, and they slowly began to corrode on his armor, the plates beginning to feel unbalanced and partially torn.

Alice throws out her arms, causing much more quantities of blood to encircle her. Argus grips his greatsword and carves through the blood, setting it aflame and causing it to evaporate. Alice absorbs some of the blood and turns them into scarlet blades. She grips them and combats Argus, spinning around and trying to hit his lower body. This proved to be difficult as Argus' aura was protecting his body. As soon as Alice comes in contact, the aura was deflecting the impacts, causing only minimal damage. Argus finds an opening and stabs forward, missing Alice's neck. The succubus smiles and attempts to slash downward, but Argus lowers the blade, cutting Alice by the shoulder. The angel pulls the blade off and backs. Alice screams in pain as her shoulder felt as if it was burning, a cauterized gash nearly amputating her whole arm by the socket.

Argus' breathing labored as he tries to live out. A Wretch appears from behind, trying to butt Argus into the wall of flame. Argus immediately jumps forward and stabs the Wretch on the skull, making it stop in its tracks. The angel leaps off and slowly retreats, seeking a way to gain leverage.

" _They're not yet done preparing… Five minutes… five more!"_

Argus could hear the internal thoughts of the other heroes on the wall, apparently worried about his state. He didn't care. He knew that what mattered is buying them time.

" _She's talking to Alucard now… and they're most likely watching us. All of us can still live… all of the fallen. She's not telling him the possibility, because if she did, it will never happen."_

"Growing tired, Argus?" Alice asks mischievously. She summons a whip of blood and lashes at Argus, but the angel easily tanks the shot, the whip curling around his right arm.

"Just hurt." He ignites the sword, causing the blood whip to burn like gasoline. Alice tries to dematerialize the weapon, but Argus yanks it and literally grips the cord, his hands slowly burning from the corrosive liquid. To speed up the pull, Argus tugs hard, bringing the surprised Alice to the ground. The angel lets go of the whip and stomps her repeatedly, the sharp grass digging into her skin and eyes. Her muffled screams could be heard as Argus recalls the sword to pin her, but a black hammer emerges from the void and slams Argus off.

"You will not touch them again, Andras calmly spoke. "And the Spitfires and Hellbats have begun breaching your barrier."

Argus tries to recover, his helmet cracked, but he soon gets toppled by a group of Ravagers, carrying him across the field like a tidal wave upon fish. He pushes off successfully, but two Wretches smash their feet to him forcefully on the ground. Andras was above the growing horde, throwing more and more dark bolts at the center of the mass. Argus tries to break free, but more and more begin to surge through the walls.

"Aurora!"

"Hylos, there's too many!" the queen yells over the commotion. "I can destroy them, but Argus-"

"DO IT NOW! EUDORA, DO THE SAME!"

The sorceress doesn't respond. She was laying on the floor, apparently exhausted, her silver hair slightly frizzy. "Too much expended… Need to… recharge."

"You call my acts pointless," Andras says. "But this is the future, Argus… the pinnacle of perfection!"

Argus doesn't shout back. He was pinned. He could feel claws and sharp teeth dig into his skin and armor. He could tell that one of his wings was completely torn from his back. Waves upon waves of pain flooded his mind, to the point wherein Argus couldn't recall the blade anymore. His mind was an absolute haze. It was as if he was being torn apart.

" _Argus!"_

" _F-Freya?"_

" _Argus… I'm sorry…"_

The angel was suddenly alerted. He tries to get up, but Vexana spawns more and more specters and Ghouls, pulling Argus into the ground.

" _Freya, can you hear me?"_

" _Argus! I'm… I'm so sorry…"_

" _I can hear her, but she can't hear me! Freya! FREYA!"_

" _It's too late… I'm so sorry…"_

" _Freya, don't say that!"_

" _I wish I would've had the stomach to tell you… I adore you!"_

"All of this to kill one seraphim," the Dark Lord muttered. "Incredible…"

" _F-Freya?"_

" _Ever since I stepped up for you… defended your actions… Argus, come on! Please! GET UP!"_

" _Freya…"_

Argus didn't know it, but tears began to roll from his eyes.

" _Argus… get up! Don't die for me!"_

" _Freya!"_ Argus tries to reach his hand upward. He could only see swirling darkness. The Ravagers began biting and chewing at his extended arm, but this was his only opening. He has to escape.

" _Argus… I…"_

" _FREYA!"_

" _I'm sorry."_

" _FREYA, NO! DON'T GIVE UP!"_ His aura began to swell tremendously, the light glowing through the bodies.

The Dark Lord was stunned by the phenomena. Some of the demons began retreating.

"How…"

" _Argus? ARGUS!"_

" _FREYA! COME ON! COME ON, ARGUS!_ _COME ON! FIGHT! JUST THIS ONCE!"_

" _ARGUS!"_

A loud cry was heard from within the mass, and suddenly, a large explosion of light burst forth from within, sending most of the demons flying. Most were eviscerated by the blast, while some were completely cremated. Andras becomes temporarily blind by the flash of light.

"MY EYES! ARGH, I CANNOT SEE!"

A streak of flame suddenly zooms through, aimed straight for Vexana. The Necromancer couldn't even react in time as Argus stabs her with his sword straight to her head. He drags her body along to the ground with the speed, shredding her to viscera completely, some of the chunks burning. Alice was stunned by the sudden kill and took too long to react.

"V-VEXANAAAAAA! NO! HOW COULD YOU?!" She leaps towards the speeding ball of flame, charging up her blood energy. Alice catches, but suddenly gets pulled along it, the flames reaching up to her body. "YOU KILLED HER!"

" **AND MANY OTHERS BEFORE THIS! AND NOW, YOU REPAY YOUR SINS IN KIND!"** Argus speeds up around the battlefield in Mach speeds as Alice loses her focus from the sustained injury and tremendous amount of Gs. The angel notices a large boulder on the path and heads straight towards it. He angles Alice's body to it and uses her as a shield, making her absorb the full impact. Her wing breaks as she shrieks from pain and panic, trying to claw at Argus, but it was too late.

At long last, the Queen of the Apocalypse was doomed to die.

Argus throws her up into the air follows up with a flurry of punches and kicks, causing her skin to sear. Alice lifts up her arms but her bones were already broken. She was no longer regenerating properly. She tries to charge up more blood and enter her Drinking State, but Argus' aura overwhelms her, preventing her from fighting back.

" **YOU TRIED SO HARD TO BEAT ME… YOU COULDN'T ACCEPT THE REALITY! ALL OF THIS TO BEST EVERYONE… AND IN THE END… YOUR OWN BLOOD WILL BE SPILT!"**

The angel recalls Caelesti Igni and with a scream of rage, slices Alice downward into the ground, the two of them falling like comets. They hit the ground with a large explosion, leaving a brown crater. A sharp, puncture sound echoed throughout the landscape as the dust and smoke clears, revealing the aftermath.

Alice's skin was completely burnt. 90% of the hair in her head was missing, the ends scorched off. Her bones now looked frail and her arms and legs were nearly amputated by the assault. Gallons of blood poured out from all of her sides. She was barely recognizable. Argus' sword was upright, impaling her to the soil. Alice coughs up and tries to look at the angel. She was astounded.

"H-How… d-did you… survive…?"

Argus was in a much more delicate state. In fact, he should've been dead. His right arm was almost torn off, a bloody stump oozing large amounts of ichor as a few blood vessels hang from it. The angel's lower left leg was chewed off by the previous demons, rendering Argus as a cripple. It was severely dislocated and hanged via the veins and arteries for dear life at a near 180-degree angle. His right eye was completely torn off the socket, multiple cuts on his face, arms and torso. Most of his armor was stripped off via blunt force or corrosion. His helmet was gone, most likely shattered, revealing his face.

He was handsome. No, more than handsome, rivaling even Lancelot or Gossen. He had a distinct jawline and somewhat perfect teeth. One of his ears was cut, the bite marks of a Hellhound seen on the freak injury. Argus was completely clean, if we are to ignore his current situation, and his hair was medium in length and gold in color. But now, he looked like a corpse on his last breath.

But he was still alive, still fighting. He doesn't know why. Three of his wings, one on each pair, was torn off. The other surviving wings were bloody with ichor and apparently nearly going to fall off.

"All I w-wanted… w-w-was t-to… become the b-b-best…" Alice choked, tears flowing from her face. "I t-tried…"

"You betrayed us…" Argus spoke, his voice hoarse. "And worst o-of all… you betrayed yourself."

Alice shook her head in despair, trying to deny it. "N-No… Argus… p-please…"

"Go… home."

The angel pulls out his sword clean out from Alice, her body slightly being pulled. The blade bore stress marks, and was about to break, its aura ebbing. Argus immediately uses the sword as support as soon as he pulled it out from Alice, watching her corpse slowly burn into cinders, the char blown by the gentle breeze.

Andras was in front of Argus, accompanied by a few Wretches. Argus awkwardly hovers miraculously by a few feet, clutching his sword weakly on his left arm.

"Come on, Andras. **COME ON!"**

He charges recklessly, raising his blade. Andras simply conjures a humongous sword, ready to swat Argus. Surprisingly, Argus breaks the void weapon, forcing it to dissipate into a mass of dark smoke. The problem is, Caelesti Igni shatters as well, the pieces scattering off. He doesn't see Andras throw a black javelin into his chest, and Argus was sent flying back, the spear poking him down on the ground.

The Dark Lord lands and slowly walks up to Argus, and the angel was barely even struggling. Argus grabs on the javelin and tries to pull it out, but his left arm was already weak.

"You impressed me," Andras admits. "I have to say… You put up one hell of a fight against me. It's a shame the fun has ended, now that your other friends will be easier to take care of."

Argus grunts incoherently, trying to escape, but Andras simply chuckles.

"Farewell, fallen angel." He walks away, the demons slowly following Andras and doesn't speed up, except for the airborne monsters.

But Argus wasn't finished.

"You think y-you… have won?"

Andras stops in his tracks and slowly turns to Argus, who still spoke. "You're still kicking?"

"Alucard… he will stop you!"

"I'd like to see him try, Argus."

"He and Lunox-"

"DO NOT DARE SPEAK OF HER NAME!" Andras shouts, summoning another sword and stabs Argus' other eye. The angel simply winces from the pain. "SHE IS NO LONGER HERE, AND YOUR FAMILY WILL PERISH!"

"She knows what to d-do… And s-she will use the boy to bring you down along with her… You w-will never succeed, Andras. Try a-as you might… but your brothers knew better than you. And her dream will be s-sought."

The Dark Lord clenches his fist, hyperventilating in anger, and raises his foot, sharp spikes suddenly forming beneath on the sole.

Argus sighs in relief, smiles, and turns his head to the sky. "Volo pro veritas."

Andras stomps Argus' face repeatedly, not seeking to cease. Ichor splatters throughout and the head nearly gets torn from the neck. The spirit stops, lightly trembling.

"Take away my world, I'll take away yours," Andras monologues, brushing imaginary dust off the shoulder armor. "And your world will be taken away, Argus. The boy will not win… And his companions can go sod off in hell for all I care."

The Light has fallen, and Darkness floods the gates.

Meanwhile…

"Lunox?"

Alucard grows worried as Lunox covers the sides of her head with her arms, the interstellar space slowly shaking. The hunter tries to approach her, but he couldn't, as if an invisible force was slowly repelling him.

"Lunox?"

The Twilight Goddess' breathing labored. The yellow orb on her left wing was ebbing out while the purple sphere glowed with intensity. "A… Argus…"

"Lunox? What about Argus? Is he alright?"

She looked up to Alucard and slowly shook her head lightly, her face holding a frown. "He killed Alice, Zhask, and the others… but he's perished."

"W-WHAT?! No… Lunox, you can't be-"

"I felt his soul… it was lifted. He is with the lovers now, content as he has fulfilled his duty."

"But he's dead, Lunox!" Alucard presses. "The Dark Lord, Andras… whoever he is, he's growing closer! Shouldn't be that the thing we should prevent?"

"Prevent?" she questions. "Then it means Estes hasn't completely told you, or didn't know sooner…"

"Wait, wait, what?"

"Your friends aren't meant to prevent Andras from coming closer, Alucard. Both harbingers of Light and Dark have fallen… and what we need is an epitome. They do not know…"

"So that is the plan?" the hunter asks. "Let that bastard come through?!"

"The Gem hasn't completely instilled its power within your body. If Andras tries to corrupt the artifact prematurely, the Dark swallows the Light, and we will cease to exist. Balance is what keeps us here, Alucard."

"BUT MY FRIENDS WILL DIE-"

"And you were more than willing to keep them alive yourselves," Lunox backfires. "They're doing this for you, but it's also for the other worlds out there. You know where the cyborgs have truly come from. You know where Harley and her sister truly resides. This is for the other worlds too!"

"But there has to be another way! I can't let them die out there!"

"Alucard… this is the only way."

The hunter shakes, clenching his fists. He throws a punch into the air, causing him to slowly get carried by the momentum. "DAMN IT! GODDAMN IT!"

"Are you done throwing tantrums?" Lunox asks, appearing right in front of Alucard. "The Dark Lord is nearing the main walls, and in a few minutes, Zhao and his companions will face terrible deaths."

"So… you mean to say, that all of this… And we're going to let them get killed out there?!"

"True."

Alucard turns his face to her. "There are people out there that have died. There are children out there! Families, people we love and care about! Letting them die is your magnificent plan?!"

"If I told you about the truth, and how the situation actually progresses, then it will never happen, Alucard! I once spoke to Leomord and Argus like this. They hardly ever believed me! And if you think you're different, then you are mistaken! All of this is beyond the capacity of your comprehension, and you may as well have been scratching at the surface. This is the miracle of my power… I foresee what will become. This is the curse of my knowledge… no one will trust my indoctrinations."

Lunox sighs, her ethereal form slowly blinking and fading out, lacking color, before reforming fully and lively again. "Light and Dark merged… and balance was attained… the only truth. And I have always defended it, no matter the cost. The fallen know what is at stake, for they are already dead, twinkling amongst the stars. Lancelot and Odette were afraid, but they accepted their destiny. Argus fought Andras and the others all by his lonesome in order to let me converse with you longer… Because the harbinger of Light can only give way and stand at the gate."

"Why do you need me?" Alucard asked, doubtful. "You could've picked Zhao, you could've picked Miya, or Freya, or even Estes. Why does it have to be me?"

"Because you're a paradox," the Twilight Goddess explains. "You admitted it yourself. The ultimate paradox. A corrupted body with a pure soul. Who could truly best the Dark Lord other than a clear manifestation of ethereal convergence? You are like me, Alucard. You faced hell, and you were destined ever since. The archer, the pirates, the orcs, the spearman… They've shone brightly. All has come to this. Only the harbinger of Truth can defeat Andras."

"But he's too strong!"

"For he breeds chaos, and only chaos! I serve here to keep both the peace and war intact and relenting."

"You can't give up on Gaius, Lunox. There… I don't know how to let go!"

"I've let go, and so will they. To lose their humanity to resist destruction, ironically one of the most human things they can ever do. Ruby, Saber… they are doomed to die this way. Only you can bring them back-"

"That's easy for you to say!" Alucard exclaims, groaning. "Why do you act as if-"

"It's a terrible thing to say… But it's the right thing to ask, Child of the Fall. The conditions will be met, all but your acceptance. The clock is ticking as your friends succumb one way or another, so let me ask you this… just this once."

She veered closer to Alucard, her eyes glinting. Her right eye held a yellow iris, while the left bore a purple hue. Lunox cupped his face with her hands.

"Now that you know what must be done… Are you still willing to sacrifice everything… your friends, your family, your identity, and yourself entirely, for the world we love?"

Meanwhile…

"Nana?! NANA! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Miya climbs up the rubble, her face covered in dust. Her outfit was slightly torn, and a trickle of blood dripped down from her head. She summons her bow, fully intact.

A large chunk of the front wall was absolutely destroyed as Andras conjured a humongous battering ram, catching the heroes unawares.

"Miya! I found Nana!" a familiar voice cries out.

"Aurora!" Miya approaches the mage atop the debris. Nana was unconscious, but still breathing faintly. One of her shoulders was dislocated, and her hands were broken. Nana's boomerang lay fractured.

"Bring her out, now! Eudora and I will try and handle this!"

"But Aurora, your arm!" Miya exclaims, pointing at the amputation. The Queen of Ice slowly winces from the pain, blood flowing off. She puts her artificial arm on the stump, covering the freak wound with a patch of ice.

"I can grow a new one… you need to go! Zhao and Freya and the others are waiting for you!"

The archer nods and sprints off to the inward roads, cradling Nana. Miya struggles to run as the nasty gash on her thigh began to hurt, her shock dissipating.

"M-Miya…?"

"Nana, hold on, we need to get out of the walls," Miya whispered. "Just stay awake, okay? You'll be alright."

"H-Harley… w-where a-are they?"

"Don't worry, they're with Lesley and Gossen. We just need to find Zhao, okay?"

"Miya? Oh, thank the heavens, you're alright!" Zhao runs to her, accompanied by Freya and Hylos. "Wait… where's Aurora and-"

"They're staying," Miya exhales, nearly stumbling to the ground. "I know Gord's still there-"

"Gord?" Hylos asks. "They can clear off the demons in the field, but the Dark Lord-"

"We just need to prevent the demons from overwhelming us. We need to know the status of the others," Freya suggests. "Hylos, try and inspect the other sides. Check if Irithel, Karrie, Balmond, Hilda, and the others are done building up detours and blockades. We need to nozzle them up here in the middle road. That way, they will be easier to handle."

"Noted!" Hylos casts a pathway and immediately charges to the left, where Hilda and the orcs were situated.

As the heroes begin scrambling, the three mages stepped in front of the broken wall, seeing hundreds of demons run from multitudes of directions. Andras slowly summons two of his clones, and they split to left and right respectively. The horde of demons split as well, following the projections that successfully guided them.

"Any plan?" Eudora asks, charging her electricity.

"Take down as many of them as possible. I'll deal with him," Aurora volunteers. "Gord, you need to push off the ones on the right. Archimedians are hanging by the thread."

"Agreed- WATCH OUT!"

A large battle axe appears from the void and slashes sideways, attempting to cut the three mages. Aurora responds by completely freezing the weapon in mid-air, slowing its speed and giving the opportunity for them to duck. Gord rides off to the hard right with his board, going airborne and launching volatile balls of mystic energy at the Ravagers that neared. He then fires a destructive blue laser, driving the monsters away. Some of them get caught in the ray and easily burns to dust. One of Andras' clones leaps up and throws swords at Gord, but he deflects them off easily as he concentrates his energy to his hands.

As Gord fought the clone, Eudora summoned more of her lightning, creating massive chain reactions that fork and arc through the demons. A Ravager jumps to her, and she sidesteps, electrocuting it in retaliation. Eudora sees the Dark Lord's clone and attempts to throw balls of lightning at it, but the swords around the clone easily deflected the lethal projectiles, spinning around like defensive sentries.

"They call you a powerful magician," the clone voiced out. "And yet…"

One of the swords zip away from the projection, aimed directly at Gord. However, a blazing streak blinks directly in front of the mage, blocking the sword.

"Zhao! Why are you here?"

"Help Aurora! We got this!" the spearman sprints to the clone and unleashes a flurry of strikes, attempting to dematerialize the projection. Zhao then steps and spins around, swinging the spear in his area and slashing at the clone easily, and it disappears. "The demons are the issue. Freya is probably with Eudora now. Just stay back and clear them off."

"Are you sure about your plan?"

"Nope. Seriously, no one's sure anymore." Zhao gives a colloquial salute before sprinting to the center of the field to aid Aurora.

Meanwhile…

"It's insane out there…" Alucard mutters, watching the scene through the holographic panorama. "Oh, crap, they're flooding in. They're tearing through the orcs and the pirates, and the ships… they're starting to fall."

"We can do nothing but wait," Lunox dejectedly says. "Half of the heroes are injured. Lolita hasn't fully recovered from the physical trauma. Hylos is going to be enveloped by groups of Morphlings and Hellhounds soon. I have reason to believe his fellow centaurs have died in combat… all of them."

"Miya and Freya are taking beatings… Andras is simply nicking them down with those black swords. It's almost unfair."

"But we only need a few minutes before the Gem fully incorporates its energy within you. That is what matters."

Alucard nods, looking somewhat awful and nerve-wracked. To ease his nervousness, he asked a random question out of the blue.

"Um… I have to ask. If you weren't… like, you know, a hyperversal being of some sort, what would you have done? I mean, if you were just normal, what would you do?"

"Then I would follow my dreams, as I always have," Lunox answers. "I would learn, I would make my own home… admire the nature, raise a family, spread a concrete, yet simple concept of love. The little things, I would have admired. Why is it you ask that?"

"I… never had a normal life, really," Alucard shyly responds, scratching the back of his head. "I don't know if I would die the next day as a demon hunter. I did think of something similar to what you just said, but… it feels so impossible."

"To follow our desires is often the death of duty. We cannot linger on one side."

"A burden, it seems."

Lunox chuckles. "Our destinies do not become burdens simply because they worsen our state of mind or our well-being. It's our perspective… it's why we are still here, waiting for the inevitable."

"But we can still bring them back, can't we?"

"It's what I'd want for all of you… to come back alive and safe and sound… but we must make the necessary sacrifice. You should not falter in spirit. You're prepared."

Alucard was about to reply, but he notices his arm slowly glowing, a blue aura clearly enveloping it as the demonic arm was infused with bright light.

"L-Lunox?"

"It's begun… your transfiguration. The stars in this dream world will act accordingly."

The Twilight Goddess outstretches her hands, and the bright dots of light that seemed so faraway easily traveled to Lunox' hands like objects on a wall. The stardust slowly began to swirl around in front of her, coalescing and slowly forming parallelograms.

"And they will forge the blade that will slay the bane of balance."

Meanwhile…

The demons approaching from the Eudora's side of the wall have barely paid attention to her, most of them already racing and scaling the boundaries. Multitudes of Wretches and Reapers broke through the stone and wreaked havoc against the dwindling numbers of the Land of Dawn's army. Two Striders get flown into the air by a Wretch that rammed through the lines, only for them to get snatched and clawed at by the flying Spitfires.

"Go forth, and let no one survive in our wake," Andras commands, but the Dark Lord that has breached was still a mere clone. His presence still posed a threat, as the true spirit can manifest within the clones.

The demons begin crashing down the orcs, often devouring some as they charged. A Bastion tries to push a Reaper back, but a stray Hellhound pounces on its back and chomps the neck, easily killing the soldier.

"No!" Hylos shouts, trying to gallop faster. A Reaper suddenly bursts out of a wall of an establishment, ripping a young girl's body into shreds. The civilians try to keep fighting, defending their homes, but the demons pour in through the windows and break through the roofs, easily getting more and more kills.

Hylos slams and tramples down the Reaper. A Wretch uses the opportunity and knock Hylos down on the ground and scratches his flank. The centaur yells in pain and tries to kick the demon, but the Reaper rises and digs its claws deep into Hylos. He uses his staff to butt it down, killing it with blunt force, but more Hellhounds and Morphlings began leaping from the roofs and windows, affixed to Hylos. The civilians used this opening to flee, but the Ravagers arrive from the alleyways, stampeding over them and shredding them down into gore.

"B-Balmond… I c-can't…"

The centaur helplessly swings his weapon around, but it was no use. Even if he would clear what's above him, it would immediately be replaced by bigger demons. Hylos slowly begins to succumb from his injuries, a Morphling chewing off the skin on his loin, reaching through the bone. A Wretch arrives and crushes Hylos down, even stepping on some of its fellow demons.

"F-For t-the L-L-Light…"

Around the commotion, Andras uses humongous blades of darkness to cleave through the houses and the army, eliminating tens of hundreds of soldiers with ease. A Strider manages to approach him and throws his spear, but the weapon shatters upon impact, nullified by Andras' aura. The Dark Lord telekinetically grabs the Strider and slowly clenches his hand, causing the soldier's armor to collapse inward and crush the Strider like a ball of paper.

A roar was heard, and Leo leaps from the roof, Irithel riding on the smilodon. Hilda charges up front to distract Andras, and the Dark Lord easily swats the huntswoman away with a back-handed slap, sending her flying to a concrete wall. Karrie trails behind Andras and swings her arms to the legs, trying to cut through the black armor. Andras gets fazed from the impacts as Karrie recovers her posture, punching Andras relentlessly on the torso. Irithel spun around with Leo, trying to mow down the demons that poured behind. A Wretch begins to charge, but Minotaur appears from the corner, tackling the beast down. A few Hellhounds and Spitfires closed on Minotaur, trying to subdue him.

"Mino, get out!" Irithel cries. "You will get flooded!"

"Mind the Dark Lord! Go!" he responds. Irithel changes her focus to Andras. Leo stops in his tracks and gears for a leap. The predator sprints on all fours to pounce on the Dark Lord.

"Iri, no!"

But Karrie warned too late, and also too early. The Dark Lord easily stabs Karrie with one of his gauntlet blades before kicking her off to the ground to bleed. Andras then turns to Irithel, punching her straight off of Leo's back. The smilodon circles around to attempt another leap, but Andras catches Leo by the tail, pulling him whole. He grips on the body and raises it like a barbell, Leo snarling and flailing around.

"Pest."

Andras pulls Leo's body apart, the skin and muscle easily tearing off like paper. The predator whimpers as his organs fall out, liters of blood spilling out and forming a small pool. Andras throws the two halves together and stomps Leo's skull repeatedly.

"LEO, NOOOOOOO!" Irithel cries out in frustration and tries to stop the Dark Lord, but Andras summons a javelin and thrusts it forward, piercing the elf. She stumbles backward, gripping the spear and trying to pull it off. Andras conjures two black daggers and they zip to Irithel's throat, her mouth foaming with blood.

"GET OFF HER!" Hilda swings her axe to Andras, landing a clear precise hit to the chest… before the axe easily breaks and crumbles to the ground. The huntswoman then uses her own fists, trying to faze the Dark Lord as Karrie forces herself to get up, ignoring the puncture on her stomach. She speeds up and slams her lightwheels repeatedly to the armor, trying to carve dents or gashes at the metal. She begins to see purple shards fly off and ricochet from her lightwheels, and it didn't take long before the spinning discs were already dull, the sharp curves chipped away. Andras grabs Hilda by the neck and kicks hard on her leg, fracturing the bone as it punctures her skin. He throws her down before turning back to Karrie. As she tries to land a blow, the Dark Lord grabs her arm and forcefully pulls it with such force that it rips off clean from the shoulder. Karrie exclaims, her mind numbed by the pain as Andras plunges his metal arm straight into the hole, reaching for her heart. He grabs it and crushes it with his clenched fist, causing Karrie to drop lifeless on the ground as he pulls his arm off.

Andras turns around and sees Minotaur being swarmed by the demons. The half-breed shakes them off and sends some of them flying with one swing of his stone hammer, but a Hellbat reaches for his face and claws at his eyes, scratching one of them off the socket. Minotaur bellows and tries to strike the ground forcefully, sending most of the demons, save for the Wretches, soaring high. Andras intervenes quickly by summoning three black axes, enveloped in black smoke. One of them flies off and lodges itself on Minotaur's pec, roughly slicing down to the flesh. It keeps rending him as the other two axes begin to do the same, swiftly cutting Minotaur as he gets overwhelmed by the tremendous force.

"Leave my comrades be… Fight me!"

The Dark Lord turns around and sees Balmond charging with his axe raised, yelling to raise his courage. Andras floats down and closes in with the orc. Balmond swings his axe diagonally, but Andras phases through the strike completely before stabbing him with a gauntlet blade. He grunts in annoyance as he repeatedly stabs Balmond's body before kicking him down.

"You cannot bear a sliver of my power," Andras boasts. "Your brethren falls easily against me. You are no match." He turns his back and resumes hacking Minotaur, surprised that he hasn't died yet.

"No honor…"

The Dark Lord turns back again to Balmond. "Hm?"

"You… have no honor!" the orc spat, blood flying out of his mouth. "Your brothers would spit on your deathbed… for you are no man… y-you… are a defiler!"

Balmond limps, trying to run. He drags his axe as it sparks the ground. Andras sighs as he conjures a large, black spear that gets hurled to Balmond, piercing through his back. The orc doesn't stop moving. Andras throws more spears one by one as Balmond slowly hinders his pace before falling to his knees, leaving a trail of scarlet behind him. The Dark Lord telepathically recalls Balmond's own axe to him and clutches it. He brings the axe down, decapitating the orc.

"Where's she? One still lives free…" Andras looks around and sees Hilda on the ground, crawling to get her battle axe. He chuckles maniacally before impaling Hilda with a spear. Unsatisfied, Andras summons two more and forces them down to her skull, ending her misery.

"Now… where were we? Ah… Minotaur."

As Andras left Minotaur alone, he was successfully able to kill the demons that latched on him. However, dozens of deep gashes and wounds were on his body. One of his horns were broken and he limped on his leg, supporting himself with his hammer.

"No doubt why you survived the endless maze… and lived to stay in it for some time."

"Y-Y-You… She won't let you w-win-"

"Oh, I know, but try as she might, she may have relied on the wrong personnel." Andras summons black chains that wrap themselves around Minotaur, restraining his body to the ground. The chains began to grow large spikes that begin puncturing through Minotaur like needles.

"With every soul I take, with every single one of her mighty 'heroes' that I bring down with my own hands, I am one step closer to destroying that artifact. I am many… I am everywhere… and it is too late for any of you to do a thing."

"C-Curse y-you!"

"Then so shall it be." Andras clenches his fist as the chains tighten even harder. A few seconds pass before the metal links slice through Minotaur's body, slicing him into multiple pieces. His corpse was now a large mass of hairy viscera.

"Six dominoes fall… and the rest knock themselves over."

Meanwhile…

"Okay now, big guy," Yi Sun Shin began. "We're gonna lift you up-"

"No!" Franco bolts. "I'mma get up myself. I can get up."

"Hey, tubbo," Sun replied. "Old black dude just broke around half of your bones within a few seconds. Do you think you can fight against him?"

"Quit the chats. The mages are buying us some time. Let the spare soldiers stand their ground here as we wait for Gatot-"

Suddenly, Gatot himself crashes into a concrete wall next to the group, severe cracks on his gold gauntlets. He quickly rose, dislodging himself from the wall before a black axe hits his head.

"He's here!" the warrior warns. Somewhere in the northeast of the group where Gatot flew, splinters and boulders coming from the houses were being flown off. "A Wretch is coming!"

"GO NOW, the two of you!" Sun beckons Yi, Bane and Franco. "We'll hold them off here!"

"You heard the monkey. C'mon, get up!" the Korean general says as the pirate supports Franco, grabbing his healed arm. The Viking grunts in pain as he is supported by Bane, helping themselves out by leaving the scene.

"Too early for him," Lapu-Lapu notes. "What about Balmond and-"

"They're gone. Hylos tried to respond in time, but he was overwhelmed as well, obviously cornered," Gatotkaca replies. "Some of the Nazar are clearing the field but the airborne are bringing them down. The Dark Lord has around three of himself spread around the whole area."

"Then we push the bastard off!"

Sun turns his head to the Wretch that tore through the house units, the beast roaring at them. He leaps on to it and summons a clone, whacking his cudgel to the Wretch's head. Lapu merges his twin swords and swings upward, cutting off the lower jaw of the Wretch before stabbing upward, the tip of the sword jutting out from the head.

"Where's he?"

"I got distracted by those things. So many are swarming around," Gatot answers. "We need to-"

"WATCH OUT!"

A humongous hammer swings down from the air upon the three, catching Gatot and sending him skidding off into the asphalt, pieces of his armor breaking off. Andras appears behind the hammer and the weapon disintegrates into smoke.

"Sun!"

"Got it!" He throws his cudgel into Andras, which lands successfully. Sun's clone appears behind the Dark Lord, trying to slam its own cudgel into the armor, but the stick snaps into two before Andras stabs the clone, disappearing spontaneously. The real Sun charges forward as Andras wasn't looking and splits into two, trying his best to overwhelm the black knight.

"You use tricks," Andras mentions, barely even fazed. He concentrates his dark energy and throws the fighter off, but the clone was intact. "You multiply."

"If it's needed to beat you, then I can make more!" Three more of Sun's clones appears and charges at Andras, slamming their staffs simultaneously. "Try and hit me!"

"Hit me!"

"Don't listen to the bum, hit me instead!"

"No, I'm the real Sun, hit me?"

"Typical insults," Andras mutters, somewhat bored. Sun and his spare clone charge along the fray as the Dark Lord covers himself with his aura. Before he could finish, Lapu strikes sideways and utilizes the free space, pushing Andras down. The slashing doesn't even make a dent on the armor, but the impacts were stunning Andras.

"But there is one flaw that trickster's behold, ape." The knight finds a small crevice that was about to be covered by Lapu's greatsword. Andras summons a black dagger and it trails through the opening, stabbing Lapu by the shoulder and making him stumble to the ground. He summons more and more blades and slashes around him, trying to hit something solid. Andras felt as if he was slicing at the air, trying to hit an invisible force, but then one of the daggers grazed Sun's leg.

Knowing the real Sun, Andras blinks out of the zone and reappears a few meters away. The clones didn't think twice and sprinted towards the knight, their cudgels raised. Andras sees a line of blood on one of the clone's legs, and in a flash, dissipates into black smoke. The smoke sifts through the doppelgangers and ensnare the real Sun out of the group, the dark air filling Sun's lungs. Andras materializes from what's left of the black smoke and uppercuts Sun's chest, his whole arm piercing through the flesh and into his insides.

Sun gurgles up blood as he drops his cudgel, trying to remove Andras' arm.

"You are predictable," the Dark Lord notes. "You would've fared better… but, I'm disappointed." He pulls his arm off downward, letting Sun's body drop on the asphalt.

Andras turns around and holds out his hand, stopping Gatotkaca's punch easily. The warrior pulls off his gauntlet from Andras' grip and swings the other one outward, but Andras simply dodges the punch. The Dark Lord flails his left arm forward, a long chain sickle materializing from above his forearm, the blade lodging onto Gatot's right gauntlet. He pulls the glove off his hand and lets it fly off to Andras. The spirit grabs the gauntlet and crushes it with his clenched fist, arcs of lightning shooting forth from it and sending Andras skidding his feet into the ground. The smoke clears and Gatot rushes in to land his punch, but Andras ducks in and stabs Gatot lightly with a black dagger. Gatotkaca reels before attacking again, and Andras punishes the warrior with two more light stabs on his back, appearing behind him. In desperation, Gatot throws his punch, but Andras catches the fist in the air, holding it back. He then catches the other punch, and Gatotkaca struggles to overpower Andras. The warrior becomes surprised as the black spirit forces the hands to unclench without difficulty.

"Another waste." Andras pulls harder, forcing the hands to open farther than it should, and Gatot's hands break, the fingers dislocating. Some were torn roughly off of his hands and they fall to the ground, Gatot's face contorted as he tries to hold back the pain.

"Hey, bastard!" Lapu entices, charging with his greatsword. Andras scoffs before dashing quickly to the chieftain like a passing cloud of black. He materializes a few meters away from Lapu-Lapu, and the fighter begins to suffer multiple lacerations on his chest and legs.

Lapu doesn't say a word, as his throat was cut as well. He simply drops to his knees, supporting himself with the greatsword. "Hehe… that w-was… unexpected…"

"You're still breathing," Andras remarks. "Let me fix that for the two of you." As Lapu stands to face the Dark Lord, a black javelin flies straight to his chest, piercing through Lapu-Lapu's chest and through Gatot. He catches the spear in mid-air, trying to push it back, but an invisible force pushes the javelin forward. Gatot sees a black cloud of smoke near him, but it was too late.

Andras reforms his arms and slams his palm into the end of the spear with such force that it slips through Gatotkaca's hands and punctures his throat. The warrior makes a slight wheezing sound before falling to the ground, the spear supporting Gatot's body.

"It's always these brutes that give me trouble…" Andras mumbles to himself as he slowly walks behind Gatot. Suddenly, he kicks the body downward, forcing the corpse to the ground as it passes through the black spear for Andras to recover. "Now… the pirate and his accomplices cannot survive my demons. I will have to deal with the others. No one can survive."

Meanwhile…

"Goddamnit, resilient scumbag…"

Zhao quickly tries to get up, pushing off the debris. He got flown through five houses, blasting through the concrete walls. Bits of his armor was dented and stained with blood.

"Gord's gone… screw this freaking edgelord… he might've killed Eudora too. He's going to end Aurora… Where's Freya?"

In the corner of his eyes, a bright glint catches Zhao's attention. The shining object was being followed by a streak of dark energy.

"That's Freya."

Yun Zhao accelerates through the streets, passing through some of the demons and spare soldiers that were fighting each other. He sees one of the Nazar get caught in the jaws of a Wretch, the beast shaking his head around. The soldier gets torn into two, the upper half thrown into a rising fire originating from one of the commercial housing units.

" _We're going to be done for… Dammit, Alucard, you need to hurry!"_

He manages to reach a wide avenue littered with buildings. Some of them were completely demolished while the others were standing with a few cracks and holes on their walls. There were holographic projections that flickered around on the buildings, as the structures were occupied by technologically advanced Eruditio residents. Zhao sees Freya battling a clone of the Dark Lord.

"Hey! Let me have some!"

Freya hears Yun's calls and retreats, dodging three of the clone's black sword. She blocks them with her gilded shield before rushing through again, managing to stab through the apparition, forcing it to dematerialize. The Valkyrie's breathing grew ragged as she took a knee to the ground, trying to maintain her composure.

"You alright?" Zhao asked, reaching his hand out to her. Freya calmly swats it off.

"Got me on my side… Miya can't fend off against the Dark Lord… It's as if her arrows don't even do a thing!"

"We need to regroup with her, who knows what she and Aurora is doing," the spearman suggests. "We need to go now."

The two resumes their travel, but Miya appears in front of them, skidding on the long avenue before rolling back easily, planting her feet to the ground as she fires an arrow forward. The streak of light pierces through the air, leaving a tail of blue light. It suddenly dissipates as Andras appears from the black smoke, his obsidian armor filled with little punctures ad dents. He brushes off icicles from his left arm that held something.

"Some of the strongest warriors of the Land of Dawn… but she didn't choose you."

"She chose the right person, she knows who deserves it," Miya answers, standing upright. "Your downfall awaits inside the Genesys Gem."

"You deceive yourself, archer. The Lords of Order have dwindled, and their power plummets."

"What makes you so sure?" Zhao asks, drawing his spear.

"For the Light will be extinguished… so do send your farewells to your friends." Andras throws the object he was previously holding on his hand, rolling to the feet of the trio. They squint their eyes to see it clearly and were in disbelief.

It was the decapitated head of Aurora, her eyes still wide open. A black dagger was on her head, jutting through her cranium.

"For you will not leave alive to tell them again."

Zhao yells as he charges, his flaming aura intensifying. Andras dissipates and sneaks forward, summoning his spear to retaliate. Freya jumps and lands on the black specter, and it dissipates, the smoke splitting into two, forming two copies. Miya leaps from behind Freya and shoots two of her arrows to the spirits. They block the projectiles, but Zhao and Freya charge together and kicks the projections simultaneously. They get flown off and dematerializes again, forming Andras back into one. Miya rushes in and nocks three arrows on her bow, letting them fly. Andras summons his swords and they deflect the arrows. Zhao slides downward and slashes at the shin armor, causing Andras to stumble. Freya merges her sword and shield into an elegant battle axe and strikes down to the Dark Lord, giving way for Miya to shoot from the sides. Andras manages to dodge the attack and reform back, but Miya's pre-fired arrows fly through the slits of the horned helmet. The Dark Lord grunts from the pain, covering his face as he recovers.

"You'll learn to acknowledge the inevitable… just you wait!" Andras summons two broadswords from the void and wields it, sprinting towards the three heroes. Zhao steps in front and spins around as Miya shoots behind the screen that the spearman set up. Freya rushes in, splits her battle axe and bashes Andras with her shield, pushing the knight back. Andras spins his swords forward and slashes sideward, striking the edge of Freya's shield. Miya's arrow riskily weaves through the narrow spaces and piercing Andras' shoulder completely. Zhao follows by slamming the butt of his spear at the Dark Lord's helmet and slices sideways, leaving Andras open for an attack. Andras feigns and spins sideways with his broadswords, slashing at Freya's leg and Zhao's side before kicking them off with his legs. He charges straight to Miya, who was located on a rooftop. Andras strikes the archer with a flurry of blows, but Miya rotates her bow, blocking the slashes with breakneck speed. She finds an opening and slams the limb of her bow on Andras' knee before kicking him off the ground with her right foot.

"You're not going anywhere."

Miya nocks two arrows on her bow and jumps off the roof, shooting Andras on the lower torso and neck as they fell. The Dark Lord rolls back and regains his footing, attempting to phase out of the scene, but Zhao punctures the armor with his flaming spear, hurting the spirit as warped shouts of pain was heard from within the armor. He pushes the end of his spear and forces the Dark Lord up as Freya slashes at the chestplate before locking her sword and shield to Andras' neck. Miya lands gracefully and strangles Andras with her bow.

"Pull! We might get to remove the armor!"

"Rrrrghhh… It's stuck!" Freya replies, pulling harder.

"You accursed runts… STAY OFF!" Andras breaks out of the lock by expending his dark aura before releasing a clone wielding a large, black scythe. Miya rolls away from the sweeping strike of the clone and slides under it as she shoots an arrow straight through the groin and to the head, killing the clone. Freya slams the butt of her sword behind Andras, aimed for the helmet. Andras barely gets knocked and attempts to grab the sword, but the Valkyrie spins in the air and strikes the Dark Lord again with her sword and shield multiple times like a cyclone. She merges her weapons into a battle axe mid-strike, forcing Andras to raise his arms to block it. Freya grunts in frustration as she speeds up, Andras trying to channel more dark energy to break the chain of strikes. The Dark Lord releases a focused concentration of dark energy to Freya's chest, blowing her off the avenue. Before he could follow up, Miya restrains Andras by climbing on top, restraining his head with the frame and string of her bow. They fall backwards and rolls, the archer forcing Andras into a headlock. The Dark Lord tries to roll around to shake Miya off, summoning swords from the ground. He grabs one and tries to stab her, but Zhao kicks the metal arm off and spins his spear with his arm, striking downward to let it continuously attack Andras before trying to stab the Dark Lord. Andras manages to phase out, but Miya follows, morphing into a brilliant swarm of indigo butterflies. Zhao throws his spear to the black smoke and his it dead on the center, forcing the Dark Lord to materialize, blanketed by orange flames. Freya flies towards Andras and kicks him downward with the heel of her metal shoes, creating a sizable dent on the helmet. Miya materializes from the butterfly swarm and shoots Andras as he completely reforms, dodging the light arrows.

"Who are you?" Miya questions, landing on the ground and uses a spinning kick against the Dark Lord, leaving Freya to take advantage of the opening as she slashes diagonally, rolling to the ground. "Estes knows… Yet… He won't disclose…"

"Names have power… and I am a foe yet to be outmatched!" Andras phases forward and grabs Zhao with his hands, slamming him into a concrete wall. As Freya begins charging, he repeatedly forces Zhao's face into the concrete to render him unconscious. Freya tries to slash the Dark Lord off, but Andras transforms into a cloud of black smoke, travelling upward. Freya leaps up, and Andras reforms, releasing a volatile bolt of black energy. The Valkyrie raises her shield but the impact sends her back down, crashing onto Zhao that was trying to get off the concrete wall. They break through the buildings like offroad cars. Miya nocks an arrow as Andras redirects his lightning bolts to the archer. Miya rapidly spins her bow in front of her, acting like a shield. Andras gets closer, but Miya ducks under, shooting her nocked arrow. The Dark Lord dodges and ensnare Miya with dark energy, seeking to restrain her. Miya materializes into butterflies, but the smoke corners them around, preventing her to escape. Andras clenches his fist, but Freya's sword flies to his arm, impaling through the armor. The Valkyrie bursts out of a window and slams to the Dark Lord with her shield, putting him to the ground. Zhao runs like a streak, burning the asphalt and slashes widely with his spear, unleashing a flaming projection of a slender dragon, charging towards Andras. The spearman guides the ancient with his spear like a cat to a red laser, spinning his spear lightly before slamming it downward for the dragon to dive deep into the earth, the flames coating around Andras. The obsidian armor scorches, but Andras manages to phase forward and grabs Miya.

"No more." Andras throws her forcefully to a barbed barricade, the wire cutting her skin to multiple places. Zhao attempts to punish the move, but the Dark Lord grabs the spear, disarming Zhao. He tries to snap it in two by bringing it down to his knee, but it doesn't work. Distracted, Andras doesn't notice Freya bashing him again with his shield, Zhao following behind with a blade kick. Freya throws her sword and punches Andras, a chunk of his helmet breaking, the pieces falling to the ground. Zhao catches the falling sword and slashes at the helmet again, sending yellow sparks blazing. He charges for a lunge, but the sword simply slips off the back armor. Zhao returns the sword to Freya and she merges it back into a battle axe. She strikes sideways and the weapon lodges itself onto the armor. The Valkyrie tries to pull it off, but Andras recovers, stabbing her shoulder and stomach with his gauntlet blades before kicking her off. Yun spins around and strikes his spear, but Andras raises his left arm and blocks the attack. He hits Zhao's arm, causing it to extend outward and drop the spear. Andras uses his right arm to summon his chain sickle and slashes upward, amputating Zhao's hand.

"Argh!" The spearman clutches the bloody stump and falls to his knees, bearing the shock. Andras summons a javelin to impale him, but a light arrow hits his arm before exploding in a brilliant flash of light. Miya, astoundingly alive despite multiple, bleeding cuts from her body weakening her, shoots a charged arrow and sends Andras knocking to a wall. The archer uses this chance to fire even more projectiles, making more and more dents and punctures on the obsidian armor. Andras phases between a shot and leaps onto Miya, toppling over her. He repeatedly stabs the archer's chest, forcing her to die. Before he could land the finishing blow, he was interrupted by a simultaneous strike of two glaives, carving through the back armor.

"You've killed enough of my friends," Karina threatens. "So leave them be!"

"As long as one stands… this world will not push forth with its fate," Andras says. "And I will not spare a child to risk my chances!"

Karina throws her glaives, letting Andras catch them. She sprints and dive-kicks the Dark Lord down, recalling her blades and bringing them down to the black armor. Andras phases out but Karina follows it up with a sweep kick and two swift slashes of her blades. Freya returns to the scene and brings her sword down to Andras, but the Dark Lord catches the sword during the strike, disarming Freya, and slices Karina's throat with it. The dark elf clutches her bleeding neck, trying to stand, but her lungs get filled with her own blood.

"NO!" Freya exclaims, trying to get her sword back, but Andras coats it with black energy and strikes down while Freya blocks it with her shield. Andras continuously assaults Freya as she blocks the attacks, but the black sword begins cutting through her shield, forcing it to break. The Dark Lord summons more swords, stabbing and piercing through Freya and forcing her to weaken. Zhao slams his shoulder into Andras to distract him, but the malevolent spirit simply stomps on his knee, shattering it before piercing his chest with a gauntlet blade.

"So much for chosen protectors…"

"F-For the L-Light…" Zhao wheezes, trying to grab onto Andras' arm. The Dark Lord slashes upward, cutting through Zhao's upper body, his two halves slowly peeling away from each other. Andras then turns around to see Freya standing up, covering her abdomen.

"I… a-am a Valkyrie… and my k-kind die standing…"

"I'm sorry, dear… I should've known. Argus gave you short-lived hope, long enough for you to last like this," he chuckles. Suddenly, a black sword materializes from the void, piercing Freya's chest and lodging into it, causing her to fall with her eyes open. Andras grunts dismissively and summons more swords, bringing them down to stab the body one by one.

" _Argus… may we see each other again… with the fallen I've guided to Valhalla…"_

Andras then pulls all of the swords out, letting Freya bleed out and succumb to the blood loss. "That was dramatic… But there are more that will be subject to my brutal gladness. This is just the start."

And in the far corner…

"By the gods, Freya, where are you?!" Franco complains, hooking a Spitfire from the air and pulling it down, Yi Sun Shin slicing it with his glaive. The three leaders were cornered on an intersection, small waves of monsters breaching towards them.

"I doubt Freya is still alive," Yi replies, shooting down a Hellbat. "We need to mobilize as fast as we can."

"Oh, yeah? Then what about that thing?" Bane asks, pointing on one of the roads. A Wretch was stampeding towards them with its jaws open, accompanied by a swarm of Morphlings.

"I'll be bait, you get up and kill it!" Franco volunteers. "Can't do anything to that thing!"

"You sure, fatso?!"

"I'M SURE, NOW GET OUTTA HERE!" the Viking urges before waving at the Wretch. "Oi, stink pile! I'm free meat, right here! Oh, come and get some, big smelly scallywag!"

The Wretch growls before speeding, racing to Franco. The Viking manages to duck under and snags his hook to the Wretch's hind leg, causing it to stumble and stop in his tracks. The hook pulls and tears through the flesh, causing the Wretch to vocalize in a distressed manner. Franco runs and ties his chain to a nearby lamppost to prevent it from escaping. He sees one of his airborne ships beginning to collapse in the air, swarmed by the flying demons.

"We better hurry!"

"On it!" Bane slashes on the legs of the Wretch, but the Morphlings crawl over his body, biting and clawing at him. The Pirate Lord keeps on attacking but the small demons begin pulling him down for them to kill. Yi was able to climb on top of the Wretch, stabbing with his glaive. The Wretch, however, was barely affected, and proceeded to buck and shake like a crazed bull, trying to throw the general off. Franco notices that the lamppost was about to break.

"Yi, kill it now! The ships are falling!"

"I'm trying! It won't… STAY STILL!" Yi keeps pulling his glaive in and out of the Wretch's skull, but the demon rolls, throwing Yi to a building's second story wall. He falls on his back, apparently dizzy. Yi Sun Shin supports himself with his sword, and the Wretch has its sights on him. "Ah… crap."

The beast begins to charge at him… until it suddenly trips, roaring in pain. Apparently, Bane was able to hit the Wretch's leg with his claw cannon, momentarily crippling it. Yi looks up in the sky and sees flaming debris fall from the air. In desperation, he gets up, not minding his injuries and jumps on the head of the Wretch before stabbing the side of its head. The demon wails from the pain, slamming its head to the nearby structure. The lamppost breaks, but Franco was able to grab it in time.

"Come on! KILL IT NOW!" Franco yelled, the Morphlings beginning to charge at him. Yi pulls his glaive out of the Wretch's socket and pushes it deep into its cranium. The general then pulls his blade forward, cutting through the spine of the Wretch and landing easily on the ground before sheathing the glaive. A burning meteor roughly crashes down onto the Wretch, burying it in a pile of debris and flames. Most of the Morphlings were wiped out in the process, and Bane miraculously survives, as he was buried under their bodies.

"Cough… Bane… where are you?" Yi calls out, holding his head. He receives a mild concussion as a piece of debris hit his helmet. A small, wooden stake pierced his shoulder and was jutting out of his shoulder. "B-Bane?"

The general sees a crab claw poking out of the corpses of the Morphlings.

"Franco! F-Franco?"

"Here… here…" the Viking responds, pulling Bane out of the mess. The Pirate Lord was rather mangled, skin and flesh flayed out of his limbs. He tries to stand, but easily collapses, a pool of blood beginning to form. "You… a-alright?"

"I'm going to… there's no t-time…" Bane wheezes. "F-Franco…"

"C'mon, we can't stay here-"

"S-Sorry, friend… I threatened y-your lands with my ships… I shouldn't-"

"It's alright… we're now brothers, right?" Franco asks optimistically. "We're brothers now… at least we did something…"

"Y-Yes… g-glory to and for… the heptaseas…"

"Bane? Bane. N-No, don't go…" Franco sniffles. "For the love of the Æsir… no…"

"Franco… we… we tried…" Yi Sun Shin collapses, clutching the stake on his chest.

"N-No… not you too…"

"The a-alliance… will live o-on… we will never forget…"

Franco wipes a tear from his eyes. "You're… one of the best to be here…"

"Glory t-to… the seven seas, Franco… our mistakes… f-finally… set right…"

Yi Sun Shin suddenly slumps, his hand lifeless. Franco closes his eyes and lays his body to the ground. Two Wretches and a couple of Ravagers were closing in on him, the roads of the intersection blocked off. The Viking heftily raises his hook and hammer, ready to face the demons. IN the corner of his eye, a large airborne galleon begins falling from the sky, burning up in the atmosphere. Franco stops paying attention, never minding the demons already running to his location. He stretches out his arms with glee, dropping his weapons as the ship falls down to the intersection.

"My daughter… I'm coming home."

The burning ship impacts the infrastructures and onto Franco, setting the whole area ablaze in an anarchic upbringing of flame and destruction. The demons try to scramble and escape the flames, but more and more debris begin to fall from the sky, crushing or killing them. Many of them suffered high-degree burns, simply dropping dead with their bodies molten or charred.

Nineteen dead. About half remain.

Meanwhile…

"Wait, you hear that?" Akai asks, running alongside Hayabusa and Kagura. "Is that…"

"It's Cyclops!" Hayabusa acknowledges. "Kagura, where's it coming from?!"

"The whole place is demolished… he might be under the rubble!"

Cyclops' faint cry for help echoed around, confusing the trio. Hayabusa teleports around the destroyed infrastructure, trying to find anything, either it be a face or a limb that resembled the little giant. He returns without results.

"Can't find him anywhere… the demons are closing in, we need to-"

"H-Help! Help me!"

The three turn around and see Cyclops walking out of the rubble, missing his hat. His clothes were slightly tattered and charred on the edge. His tiny arm was simply hanging lifeless (indicating it is broken) while he clutched to two objects on his right arm.

"Cyclops!" Kagura ran, embracing the mage. "H-Hey, what happened?"

"Ships… Cyclops saw ships falling… we couldn't get out, so many flying things-"

"W-Wait… Cyclops," Akai interrupts, growing nervous. "U-Um… where's Nana and Harley?"

Cyclops lifts his right arm and shows what he was holding: A tattered, black hat and a pink fleece jacket. Kagura gasped in shock.

"No…"

The mage easily burst into tears again, smothering his single eye to the objects.

"I d-didn't see it coming… I didn't save them!"

"N-No, no, no one saw it coming, Cyc," Hayabusa comforted. "It's okay… it's okay-"

"T-They're dead… Lance and Odette is dead, too! I couldn't-"

"Hey, listen to me!" Hayabusa says, putting his hand on Cyclops' shoulder. "Listen to me… It's okay, we suffered losses ourselves… Kagura and I, we lost our clans. We lost Hanabi and Furukuzi, and we moved on. If we did, then you can, too. I know, it's a stubborn burden, but this is part of the job description, okay?"

A loud roar was heard from the field, and Akai squints his eyes to try and see clearly the moving target from a hundred meters away. "Dudes, it's one of those big things! We need to go!"

"Akai, take Cyclops with you and go to Lesley!" Kagura commands, carrying the mage. "Inform her of her brother!"

"Wait, what?"

"We'll cover you! You need to bring Cyclops to her, now!" she pressed. "The demons out there are too many, you won't be able to take them out!"

"But-"

"Come on, Akai! This is your only chance!" Hayabusa eggs.

The panda nods. "So, whatcha say, Frogger? This may be our last delivery!"

The frog on his hat croaked with determination. Akai grins as he carries Cyclops onto his arms, the hourglass digging onto his armor. "I won't let the two of you down!"

"Then we'll consider it handled. Go, we got this!"

Akai gears up and jumps off the ground, reaching a tremendous height. He lands on one of the intact structures before leaping again.

Hayabusa then turns his attention to the approaching demon horde. "Well… what next?"

"Give them the time we need."

"I doubt we'll last five minutes," the ninja jokes nervously. The Wretch would take 20 seconds to reach the two of them. "Any last kiss before all this?"

"No, let's just do it in the afterlife."

"Okay, situation handled." Hayabusa pulls out his katana and does a basic stance, preparing to strike. "Let's do this…"

"For Hanabi and Furukuzi!"

"For the Land of Dawn!"

The two charge straight to the Wretch as it tries to butt them with its head. Kagura launches her umbrella to the side and teleports before throwing it again at the Wretch, surprisingly stunning it and throwing it off to the side, crashing onto a building. Metal rods hit the head of the Wretch, and as the rods fall, Hayabusa teleports and kicks one of the rods straight into the Wretch, forcing it to pierce its skull. The demon groans in pain as Kagura slams it further into the building, concrete boulders crashing onto its body. Hayabusa dissipates into the shadows and eviscerates the head of the Wretch, finally killing it. He lands down and cleans his blade with a swipe.

"That's it?"

"Ravagers behind us, stay sharp," Kagura dictates. She points to the horde of demons sprinting to their location. "Let me handle this."

"Reapers up my front."

"Morphlings and Hellhounds to the side!"

"Great, they covered us. But this is what we want. C'mon, Kagura, let's give 'em hell!"

As the two fought against the hordes, Rafaela was growing anxious. She was with Uranus, Kaja and Estes, along with the Royal Guard and a few Nazar.

"Rafaela… is something wrong?" Estes asks.

"The lovers… their curse urges its escape."

"You mean Hayabusa and Kagura? They're engaged in combat?"

"My senses tell me they stayed put to give way for the panda and Cyclops… but the latter pair will not make it to Gossen and-"

"That's not important. What about the curse?"

"I believe… we might have to bring it back," the angel suggests, looking onto the whole landscape. Fires were raging around, and the shouts and roars of the soldiers and monsters faintly echoed. "It can wipe out a wide area, and it's too risky. Gossen and his group are too close, and the other groups can get caught by the force winds-"

"It's your call," Estes finalizes. "What matters is that we've given Alucard enough time with the gem. It's your decision to make… And I know you will make the right choice."

Meanwhile…

"Akai… w-where are we going?"

"To Lesley and Gossen, we'll try and stay there," the panda said.

"But, Hayabusa and-"

"They're staying put. We're leaving them there-"

"But-"

"I know, I know… if only it doesn't end this way… everyone dying."

"Then, we need to-"

Akai suddenly gets knocked to the ground by an unseen force, easily crashing down. He was able to grip Cyclops closely on time, the both of them surviving the fall. The panda looks around, shaking his head.

"AKAI!"

"I'm a-alright, it's alright…"

Cyclops shakes the dizziness from his head and pushes off Akai's arm, trying to take a look around. He sees a black figure floating above in front of them, shrouded by thick smoke.

"It's him!"

"Who, the Dark Lord?" Akai asks, forcing himself to stay alert. "Cyc, go! I'll take care of this!"

"We can't!"

"What?! Why not?"

Cyclops points to the other end of the road. A swarm of Ravagers were now sprinting to their location, accelerating faster.

"Screw it." Akai quickly grabs Cyclops and leaps high into the air, seeking to escape, but a large, black hammer slams them back into where they leapt of, breaking Akai's staff. Cyclops' hourglass only received a few cracks, however.

"You can't find a way out of this one, panda," Andras called out. "You will suffer a fate akin to his friends'." He slowly raises his finger and points to Cyclops. The mage quickly summons orbs of cosmic energy, his blue eye angry.

"I'm tired of running… Akai, let's do this!"

"What?"

"Hahahahah! How brave!" Andras summons a sword and brings it down upon the duo. Akai steps forward and kicks it off, spinning off into the air until suddenly regaining control and flying back. The panda raises his arms and deflects the blade with his forearm armor. The Dark Lord dismissively sighs, throwing more and more swords, but Akai keeps deflecting them one by one, preventing them from reaching Cyclops. The young mage fires his cosmic balls to the swords, causing them to spontaneously dissipate before they could reach him.

"O-Okay! Now we're talking!" Akai leaps up and balls into the air like a wrecking ball, slamming butt-first onto Andras. The Dark Lord falls from the air along with Akaia, crashing onto the ground. He rolls and regains his footing, angling his arms back before throwing them forward, unleashing a volley of swords and arrows onto Akai. The panda proceeds to block most of them, but an arrow slightly punctures his chest armor, nearly reaching his skin.

"Akai, be careful! I'll provide fire!" Cyclops throws a wave of stardust onto Andras, the cosmic energy diminishing the Dark Lord's aura. Andras tries to shake them off, but the stardust clings to his armor, preventing the aura from coming. Akai jumps and lands a punch onto the armor, creating a small dent on it.

"I won't let you breathe!" Akai began landing a flurry of punches and kicks, nearly subduing the Dark Lord. He kicks Andras on the groin, but instead of hurting Andras, Akai's foot sprained due to the toughness of the armor.

"Then I won't let you live!" Andras manages to shed off the energy and unleashes a volley of swords around the vicinity, spreading off into vector-based directions. Akai gets thrown back, two blades piercing through his big belly. Cyclops covers himself with his arms as he was too late to escape from Akai's trajectory. The two of them skid along the dirty asphalt, the panda struggling to get up.

"I can go through the palace all I want, but I desire that all of you be dead before me," Andras said, conjuring axes and blades. They fly off and slash at Akai, the panda covering himself. An axe breaks through the armor and pushes him back a few meters. "The ninja and his muse will soon die from my pets… Do you think I know not the curse?!"

"Cheeky thing, just keep monologuing," Cyclops mutters, bringing out his hourglass and configuring it. "Just do it… Stupid."

Akai stood up and raises his fists, charging towards Andras again. The Dark Lord conjured swords bit by bit, stabbing Akai's torso over and over as he approached. The panda slowed subsequently, falling to his knees as he was a meter close to the Dark Lord. He simply falls on his belly, the swords still keeping him hoisted. Andras wills the weapons to dissipate and Akai drops instantly, bleeding on the ground.

The Dark Lord approaches Cyclops as the mage configures his hourglass, the artifact glowing with blue and white specks of energy.

Akai tries to stand, holding back the pain and the bleeding. "Hey… I'm not d-done yet, you freaking-"

He stops talking. An axe lodges itself onto Akai's head, slicing his skull and killing him. The frog on his hat jumps off and leaps onto Andras, but the Dark Lord catches it in mid-air and crushes it with his fist. He throws the mess forcefully onto the ground and stomps it with his foot, grinding the asphalt with the metal boot.

"Now… the lonely… 'giant'."

Cyclops finishes changing the settings of the hourglass as it grew brighter and hotter, frantically looking around him. The demons have already cornered his only exit. Cyclops tries to run to the sidewalk, but Andras catches Cyclops by the neck and proceeds to tighten his grip, on the mage, suffocating him.

"I've been rather unkindly with the others… Don't worry, little one. This will not hurt as much."

Cyclops held on to the hourglass. A low, humming noise could be heard from within it. He pulls the handle of the hourglass, somewhat 'unlocking' it.

"Cyclops will avenge… Nana and Harley!"

He 'locks' it back by pushing it down, causing the whole block to explode outward in a huge wave of cosmic energy, the demons either disintegrating or turned to ice. Some demons were able to sustain injuries, but they suffered severe lacerations, burns, or frostbite from the ordeal. Andras was on his knees as the cosmic power began acting against the armor, causing it to collapse inward and crush the spirit.

"Rrrrrrggghhhh! Gah, that youngling… I should've known better about the little mage…" Andras muttered to himself and recovers his black aura, the energy slowly fading and dissipating away from him. His armor slowly mended, but some of the damage was irreparable due to the severity of the sustained attacks. His cape slowly flowed in the breeze, tattered due to the combat wearing off its quality. He looks around for the mage, peering onto the epicenter of the blast. There was a large, circular scorch mark around, peppered by flecks of white dust and cerulean streaks. Both Cyclops nor the hourglass couldn't be found.

"I don't need any more clones… I will put them back to me. There are more to end… And it will be done. The world will meet its fate."

Meanwhile…

"Kagura, on your right!"

Kagura slams her umbrella to another Wretch, purple energy streaking off of the weapon. The demon recoils before charging again. Hayabusa teleports within its open jaws and stabs its upper jaw, hitting the brain. The Wretch stops in its tracks and slumps down as the ninja teleports back to Kagura, throwing a volley of shuriken and kunai at the Hellhounds.

"In a minute, we're done for-"

"Don't say that, we still have one more trump card!" Kagura exclaims. She throws her umbrella within a group of Ravagers and teleports within it. Kagura unleashes the energy within the umbrella, bursting the area around her with purple light. Suddenly, a Reaper knocks her off, disarming the mage. Kagura recovers her footing and shoots beams of pink energy towards the demon, but it was barely fazed or hurt. It proceeded to grab the umbrella and tried to tear it down.

Hayabusa notices it and curses to himself. "Oh, I won't do that if I were-"

The Reaper breaks the frame of the umbrella along with the canopy, and instantaneously, the weapon explodes, releasing the hundreds of spirits of the monsters that were encased within it. A dark, scarlet cloud flowed around in the air, dozens of contorted and warped faces of demons seemingly forming around the cloud.

"Crap, this is not good!" Kagura yells. "Hayabusa, we need to take cover!"

"How long before they dissipate?!"

"About a couple more seconds!"

"Wait… I don't think we need to take cover…"

"What?"

Hayabusa points to the cloud that was beginning to diverge into smaller clouds, sparks of lightning emanating from within them. They began coursing through the infrastructure and around the streets, phasing through the demons that were approaching the duo. The enemies suddenly become scorched from the lightning, still shaking from the shock. A few received immense lacerations around their body, and they died, presumably from the blood loss. On rare occasion, the whole demon's body would disintegrate into nothingness as they came into contact with the clouds.

"Is the area clear?" Kagura asked, trying to get out of the building they were in, which was a tidy café.

"Let me check… Just a Wretch. I'll deal with it." Hayabusa teleports into the street and faces the demon. "Hey! Big mouth! Right here!"

The Wretch turns its head to Hayabusa, looking down on him and snarling.

"Yeah… that's right… c'mon…" The ninja was waiting for the spirit cloud to grow nearer. "Steady…"

The Wretch roared and charged at Haya, its jaws wide open. He teleports above the Wretch and stabs its spinal cord, causing it to yelp in pain and stop abruptly. The dark cloud coats over the Wretch and the demon mistakenly inhales the gas. Hayabusa could feel the dark energy combusting within the demon.

"Haya, get off!"

The ninja takes Kagura's advice and gets up, nearly getting caught by the explosion of viscera and purple energy. He lands on the ground, safe and sound, the blood of the Wretch splattering on his armor.

"Disgusting…"

"Your sword…"

"What about my- Damn it." Hayabusa's sword was broken in two. It has no use for him anymore. He drops the blade in disgust. "No more weapons… except for one."

"Yeah… does Rafaela know?"

"She knows…"

The two of them stand on the center of the avenue, their backs on each other. The two of them were panting, somewhat exhausted.

"How about Akai?"

"He… I hope he made it."

Hayabusa nods in agreement. He eyes a wave of demons approaching his side of the street. "Kagura… We're gonna need it any second now."

"I agree!" she answers back, looking at the group of Wretches that were sprinting at them. "C'mon…"

In the front of the citadel, Rafaela and Estes were now reversing the lockdown of the curse. The black essence of the curse was trying to break free of the transparent prison it was in.

"Faster, Estes!"

"Calm yourself… It will be no more than a few seconds… Done!"

The orb shatters instantly, the shards falling to the ground. The accursed essence suddenly zooms into the sky, straight toward Hayabusa and Kagura's location.

"We did the right thing," Estes told the angel. "No sin committed. This is the plan."

"I hope… the Dark Lord has approached Gossen and Lesley. It won't be long before it reaches Tigreal."

"Alucard is almost done with the Gem. I can feel its energy radiating from here. All we need to do is wait."

Meanwhile…

"Haya…"

Kagura points to a black meteor in the sky, falling towards them. "It's here."

"Ready, Kagura, on the count of three…"

"Two…"

"One!" The duo counted simultaneously as the essence enveloped around them, scarlet prominences of energy arcing around their bodies. Hayabusa and Kagura grunted in pain and shock as explosive energy begins coursing through their bodies, already creating the destructive reaction.

"BREAK!" Hayabusa suddenly zooms through the asphalt and breaking it down, leaving a trail of volatile soul energy that obliterated the demons. Kagura burst through to her side in a flash, clearing half of the street in mere seconds.

"This feels… immense…" Hayabusa muttered. "But… it's killing us… we need to… wipe as much as we can…"

"Before they reach the citadel!" Kagura zips around and kicks a Wretch to a weak structure, causing the building to collapse and crush it to death. The mage punches through the bodies of Ravagers and Hellhounds, fist-sized holes and craters appearing on their bodies as they fell instantly. Kagura noticed her arms and hands, small specks of purple and white energy covering them.

"Haya… one more minute!"

"Don't take my kills!" the ninja joked, but he was growing nervous, as the energy was beginning to corrupt his body as well. "C'mon, don't combust!"

"More Spitfires and Hellbats going down!" the mage warns before skyrocketing to the atmosphere, taking down the flying demons one by one. Hayabusa obliterates a Reaper before following her, taking down a few Hellbats as well.

"Look, he's fighting Lesley and Gossen!" Hayabusa points. Andras was clashing against the assassin, and most of the swords that Gossen threw were being deflected. He begins to dive down, but Kagura clutches his arm and embraces him. "W-Wait, we have to help-"

"WE CAN'T, OR WE'LL BE KILLING THEM INSTEAD!"

"But-"

Kagura kisses him lightly. "IT'S OKAY! We know we won… We don't need to worry anymore… We'll see them again, okay?"

Hayabusa, dumbfounded, simply wraps his arms around Kagura's waist and lays his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes.

"It's alright… We've done our part."

"Okay… I believe you."

"Don't let me go… let us fall again…"

The two of them began to spontaneously combust, their souls growing even more volatile by the second. The purple energy arced around them, like dust from a comet as they fell burning, their bodies glowing with immense energy.

" _Furukuzi…"_ Kagura closes her eyes, smiling.

" _Hanabi…"_ Hayabusa closes his, determined and content.

" _We'll see you again!"_

The two crash to the ground and explode in a burst of energy and destructive flame, immediately collapsing the structures around the epicenter of the blast. The demons try to outrun the energy, but they disintegrate as they get caught within the radius, the explosion spanning about a few kilometers, the winds travelling further than the energy with unmatched speed…

Meanwhile…

Gossen crawls on the ground, his lower left leg roughly severed. Andras summons a sword and impales Gossen on the back, preventing him from moving. The assassin screams in pain, slamming his clenched fist on the ground.

"You can say goodbye to her before you meet her again," Andras mocked. Gossen looks up and sees Lesley's dead body, her braid undone. Her rifle lay next to her, broken. He cursed himself. It was a work of art, that weapon of hers… Only to be destroyed by the Dark Lord himself…

"Screw you," Gossen spat. "I know of your infamy… No one will forget!"

"Oh, they will, one by one." Andras conjures an axe and strikes it onto Gossen's head, killing the assassin. He forcibly pulls the axe back to him, the weapon also pulling Gossen's body until his upper half tears off of his legs.

"This… is fun," Andras remarked, holding the axe with Gossen's body still hanging on the blade. He dematerializes the weapon, and the upper half of the body falls into the ground, the intestines trailing on the ground. The Dark Lord begins to advance, but a whole gale blows from his left, slightly disorienting his balance. Andras covers his arm as pieces of ash and debris began blowing to his direction, as well as a few bodies of soldiers, civilians and demons. Specks of blood, cinders and clouds of dust were carried by the strong winds for a few seconds before slowly dissipating. Andras stood upright and brushed off the dust on his arm.

"At least there will be much less of a hassle… Now, Tigreal, where are you?"

The Dark Lord looks in front of him. The citadel of the Land of Dawn was nearing, but he'd have to act even faster.

"They are occupied… Hah." Andras slowly transforms into a cloud of smoke before preparing his trajectory. "I got you now."

He suddenly dashes at supersonic speed, some of the lampposts and windows breaking from the force. Andras suddenly materializes back into his armor and conjures gauntlet blades on each of his wrists. He digs his armored shoes to the ground, breaking the asphalt off as he slices through Natalia, the assassin unawares. Andras slides around and begins to clash against Tigreal who was just finished killing a Ravager.

"N-NATALIA!"

"Ah, look at you… Surprised, aren't you?" Andras chuckles, his gauntlet blades turning into dual broadswords. "Give me a challenge and stop making me bored."

Tigreal yells and charges forward, blocking Andras' strikes and stabs, but the Dark Lord sidesteps before slashing at the gilded knight's legs. Tigreal grunts in pain as Andras tries to cut through the armor, but it was only receiving scratches.

"Tigreal!" Roger calls out, trying to help, but Andras throws a black dagger to the hunter's chest. Roger drops to the ground, clutching the dagger and trying to pull it off. "Agh… hold on!"

"Papa?" Ruby calls out, wiping the sweat off of her forehead. She sees Natalia's body lying dead on the ground, a pool of blood emerging from the gash on her stomach. Ruby covers her face in shock, a murderous urge suddenly burning in her chest.

" _NO! Hold it back… no!"_

"Roger, get out of here!" Tigreal warns. "You need to flee!"

"You heard the knight, let's go!" Roger beckons, trying to stand up. "Ruby, follow me!" He grabs her hand and retreats as fast as they can. Roger turns into a werewolf mid-leap and Ruby rides on his back, wielding her bloody scythe.

"I smell… Ah, someone familiar resides within the girl, I see!" Andras cackles. "A brother of mine, a scoundrel, resting within her!"

"W-What?" Tigreal asks, panting.

"You don't know? Hahahahahah! A bastard fuels her drive, knight, and you won't live long enough to find out!"

"We'll see!" Tigreal bashes Andras with his shield, but the Dark Lord conjures swords during the bash, making punctures on the shield. One of the blades pierce through the shield and Tigreal's arm, causing the knight to drop his arm. Andras summons his gauntlet blades and stabs through Tigreal's armor before spinning away in a flash. The gilded knight drops on one knee, supporting himself with his sword.

"Do you see how I killed her with one fell strike?" Andras asked, pointing at Natalia's corpse. "Consider yourself _extremely_ lucky!" He uppercuts Tigreal, but the knight manages to recover from this attack and stabs his sword straight onto the spirit's chestplate. As the sword was blessed, Andras screamed in pain, the blade burning the spirit.

Tigreal grunts as he tries to stand again and tackles Andras down. He grabs his shield and uses the sharp, bottom corner and slams it on Andras' neck, creating a worsening sear mark on the obsidian armor.

"You… will… stay… down!" he growls, striking his shield down with every word. Tigreal then pulls out his blade, but the Dark Lord raises his arms, preventing the blade from plunging onto his face. The sword began to burn through Andras' armor, and he wills blades from the ground and stabs Tigreal's sides with them repeatedly. The knight loses his grip and Andras recovers, phasing upright.

"Sorry… But I will not miss a reunion of a lifetime." Andras then launches his chain sickle, piercing through Tigreal's body. The hook latches itself onto his back as Andras leaped around, causing the chain of the weapon to wrap around the knight's body. Tigreal screams in pain as the chain began to restrict itself tighter onto his body, crushing his bones and skin. Andras then phases through the ground, looping the chain around before appearing back to his original position. He pulls the chain with sudden force, and the knight bursts into two halves, the viscera splattering on the nearby cobblestone.

Andras sheathes back the chain sickle and dematerializes it.

"Glasya-Labolas… flee from that young maiden and face me!"

Meanwhile…

"Papa… they are too many!"

Ruby pulls a Hellhound's body to her and slashes it sideways, cutting it in two. She leaps up and digs the blade of her scythe onto the socket of a Wretch, furiously tearing it up and pulling her blade out from the skull, killing the demon. She collapses to her knees from exhaustion, her knuckles bleeding.

"Papa?" Ruby turns around to see the werewolf, his furry skin mangled with severe wounds and bite marks. "P-Papa?!"

She races to Roger and cradles him. The injuries were insane and tremendously difficult to mend, he would die from the bleeding within the minute.

"P-Papa… talk to me…" Ruby shakes Roger up to try and get his attention. The wolf's head slowly rotated to face her, making quiet, whimpering sounds. Roger lifted his claw up to Ruby's hand and gripped it, basically clinging to her. Ruby's tears silently fell down, and she saw the light on Roger's eyes begin to die out.

"N-NO! No, no no no no, NO! Don't go… Not yet… I can't take it, I don't wanna… Papa!"

The werewolf slowly closed his eyes as his breathing slowed, more and more blood pouring out of from his wounds. Ruby began clenching her fists, but tried to hold back the feeling. She lowered her body and clutched Roger's body.

"No, please, not yet… Not you too! Damn it, please…"

Roger's head slumped sideward as his breathing abruptly stopped. Ruby was in a state of panic. She tries to hear his heartbeat, but it wasn't there.

"NO! PAPA! PAPAAAA! DON'T LET ME GO! NO!"

She began to cry, balling her hands and slamming it to the ground. Ruby didn't notice that she was basically breaking the asphalt with her strikes. She covered her eyes and tried to calm down, but a familiar voice began to whisper in her head.

" _Look at him… All because you wanted to hold back."_

"Grrrr… shut up…" Ruby mentally said. "Not.. now…"

" _But I know you… You know what lover boy said to you! Let. Go. You promised, yes?"_

"I SAID SHUT UP!" she shouted, her voice beginning to warp. "SHUT UP! STOP… making me hear… THOSE SCREAMS!"

" _The screams? Of those you murdered, of those they murdered? Tsk tsk tsk… I know what you want, little one. All that you know is gone, and guess what? You will die, anyway… so why not give it up for one… last… dance?"_

"SHUT… UUUUUPPPPP!" Ruby vocalized, scratching and tearing at her hair. She dug her head into the ground, trying to cover her ears. As Andras grew near, her urges began to intensify, and she slammed her forehead into the asphalt, trying to stop it.

" _You wish to kill, Ruby… I've been with you ever since little old grammie got cut open like a pig fresh from the sty."_

"S-S-SCREW YOU!"

" _Oh, do not deny it… They haunt you every night, yes? That's why he is always there, the insolent brat… He knows not what he's meddling with."_

"Glasya-Labolas!" Andras called out, summoning black swords from the void.

Ruby slowly stood up from her position, her legs set in an awkward manner.

"S-Shut up…"

" _Your sanity and innocence slowly draining away, breaking, bending by my hand, by my voice… And the truth is present, naked… You seeing red, mind filled with hatred, your heart longing for their blood as debt for their screams!"_

"Freaking scum…" Ruby growls, outstretching her arm, recalling her scythe. "Little shits… killing my friends… getting away from it?"

" _Yes… yes… that's it, slow and steady, falling onto your own temptations… What you truly love… is revenge, and nothing else, forevermore!"_

"Brother… why are you there? You make the girl suffer from your own actions? She has, long enough. Let her go and-"

"Let what go?" Ruby asked, her normal voice returning. "I… I'm not letting go… of what I have… I have an urge… An urge to dance… Heheheheheh… HAHAHAHAHAHAH!" She laughed maniacally, covering her face with her hand. Ruby uncovered it, and her expression grew even more twisted, her eye slowly turning bloodshot with a red iris forming. Her lips curved into a wicked smile, exposing her teeth. "You're killing my friends… you're going to do it again… Heh, you really think… their spilt blood won't be paid?"

"Let go of the girl," Andras threatens, conjuring more and more swords. "You are making her less human!"

"Oh, but no, brother!" A warped voice spoke from Ruby. "I love her… very much, she showed spirit, and I granted her gifts, in a manner as generous as I can be! I will not let each other apart… we will be together…"

"Hahahahah… do you want to dance?" Ruby asked, her normal voice returning. "You know what I did to those wolves? The ones that killed my grammie? You killed my lovely papa… Come here, little shit… I WILL SHOW YOU!"

She charges with sudden speed, catching Andras off-guard. Ruby slashes, spinning downward and creating severe gashes on Andras' armor. The Dark Lord levitates to gain higher leverage, but Ruby leaps up and snags his legs with her hook, bringing him down again.

"COME HERE! LET ME CARVE THE HELMET OFF YOUR FACE!"

"You've always been the bastard between the family, Labolas," Andras says before phasing below the ground and reappearing above Ruby, stabbing her with two broadswords on her back. The little red hood simply shakes Andras off, removing his grip off of the blades. Ruby stood as if she wasn't hurt at all, gripping her scythe with only one hand.

"Are you afraid of what has become?" Glasya-Labolas taunted, before reverting back to Ruby's voice. "You… I'm not letting you near him at all costs!" She slams the butt of her scythe on Andras, slowly pushing him off before spinning with a flurry of slashes, easily cutting down Andras' armor.

"An abomination you are!" the Dark Lord yells, summoning more swords. He throws them towards Ruby, the blades piercing trough and jutting out of her body, yet she walked without any hassle, dragging her scythe with her. "How long will this last?"

"As long as we want… as long as _she_ wants!" the demon inside Ruby cackled. "Shall we, dear miss?"

"Yesss… blood for my friends… and I…WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO DANCE!" Ruby charged and brought her scythe downward, the weapon suddenly growing larger. Andras got caught by the blade and was pushed down to the ground. Ruby lets go of the weapon and leapt on Andras, biting at the weak section of armor on the neck. She jumps off and spits off the obsidian from her mouth, some of her teeth falling out.

"You need to stop!" Andras threatened. "Don't make me, brother!"

"Then we will make you! I've had enough of being the belittled!" Ruby prepares to jump again, but a Wretch breaks through the infrastructure from her right, slamming her to a nearby wall. The demon tries to catch Ruby with its jaws, but the girl simply jumps within its mouth and cleaves through the Wretch, reaching its insides. Ruby was able to claw out of the Wretch's stomach as she recalls her scythe back from Andras and its travels through the Wretch. Ruby slices from inside and crawls out, blood covering her whole body and dripping from her clothes. She lifted her hand and licked some from her hand, giggling.

"More… more blood… for all you've killed!" Ruby suddenly get pulled forward as Andras conjures a sword and pierces it through Ruby's only eye, rendering her blind, but she simply laughed it off, pulling the blade out with ease and slamming it onto Andras' neck. The Dark Lord recoils from the pain as Ruby recalls her scythe to slash Andras down. The malevolent spirit was able to recover his dark aura, preventing the scythe from going further.

"The rampage will cease! You may be immune to pain, but to kill you is all I need…"

"Not without one more… One more shimmer of indifference!" Ruby pulls the scythe off and blindly strikes Andras, the scythe lodging onto his helmet. The Dark Lord grabs the scythe and snaps the handle in two, but Ruby kicks Andras and grabs the blade in mid-air, stabbing it again to the spirit's side. Andras grunts from the pain and summons his gauntlet blades, stabbing through Ruby's torso multiple times, but it was barely effective. She simply backed away, growing tired. She was not giving up.

"Feisty lassie... enough of this." Andras conjures several swords from the ground and two of them cut off Ruby's heels, preventing her from walking. She grunts from the pain but continues treading. Andras, frustrated, grabs one of the swords and stabs Ruby square in the forehead, but she still smiled creepily, her eyes staring at him. But she fell, growing weak.

"No, brother… don't kill the girl!"

"I am… I'm relieving her from your torment!" Andras stabs Ruby's heart, linking the blade with him. Slowly, dark essence began to coil around the weapon, absorbing the spirit, known as Glasya-Labolas: Author of Bloodshed.

Andras stood up, thinking that the ordeal was over, but Ruby was still breathing, smiling innocently. The Dark Lord summoned five swords above Ruby, aimed downward to her.

"And your host will perish… along with your frail hope."

The swords stabbed Ruby one by one as she began to dream.

" _Alucard…"_

 _SHICK!_

" _You're so… understanding…"_

 _SLOSH!_

" _I am going now."_

 _SHRICK!_

" _Don't be mad at me… I tried."_

 _SHOKK!_

" _I know… you're proud of me…"_

 _SHLICK!_

Andras sighed, dematerializing the blades. "For the first time… I've felt sorry for a corrupted host. She doesn't deserve to endure that. Now… no guilt for now. Victory draws near, and I will finish what Alice and her little goons couldn't."

A large explosion was heard far beyond Andras' sight. He could feel the death of many of his demons.

"The metal men."

Meanwhile…

"Alpha?"

Saber was genuflecting, as he attempted to shield himself from the blast. All he could remember was that Johnson had to self-destruct in order to shake off the hordes of Morphlings and Ravagers restraining him. But the winds and the ashen dust was messing with his sensors, corrupting his broken interface.

"S-Saber?" Alpha's voice squeaked from the comms.

"Alpha, where are you? My sensors cannot find you!"

"On… your… right…"

The cyborg turns right, but he couldn't see anything, only a pile of debris and boulders from the fallen infrastructure. Small fires emitted black char and burning paper and trash littered the avenue they were in. The barricade they set up was demolished easily when the demons began to crowd within them.

"Alpha? I cannot pick up Beta's ping. Do you have her with you?"

"Saber…"

"Hold on, I'm seeing you in the radar-"

He stops and looks below him. Alpha was there, yes, but shards and pieces of his metal armor was littered around him, his visor broken, exposing his green eyes. One of his arms were gone, and fuel and blood was leaking out of it. Alpha's face was broken and deteriorated, the machinery within him exposed. He opened his arms, and Fanny laid next to him, coughing up blood and dust.

"Saber-"

"Don't worry, Alpha. I can still fix-"

"He's c-coming… Andras…"

"Alpha- wait, wait… Andras?"

"We know who he is, Saber… it's Andras… you know him, he won't let anyone go…" Alpha began to cough up fuel and smoke from his systems, small sparks bursting from his limbs. "You need to save-"

"S-Saber?"

"Fanny, calm down… you're going to be fine," Saber comforted, grabbing her body. The machinery on her hips were busted up, and only one pair of swords were completely intact. Her flight systems are beyond repair. "Listen to me, you need to go to Estes, okay? You need to be with Chou and your other friends-"

"N-No! I want to-"

"Listen to me, Fanny. Go out too early and that may be one minute less for Alucard! You don't need to worry about me, or Alpha. We'll be alright, now go."

He beckons Fanny to go and retreat to the back. She limps as she walks, clutching her bleeding side.

"Take your time! We'll protect you!"

"S-Saber," Alpha began to whisper. "B-Beta… didn't survive the blast. She couldn't move-"

"Okay, we need to get you out here-"

The fellow cyborg clutched Saber's arm. "No… I want this… I want this…"

"Alpha. Alpha." Saber called out. "You don't need to do this-"

"I w-want to… I can't… fight anymore… Spear is broken… integrity at 9%-"

"Screw the statistics! I am getting you out of here, dead or alive!"

"Saber…" Alpha resumes, trying to lift himself up. His upper and lower halves began to tear off. "D-Don't waste… this chance… your life… is a p-precious thing, and t-thank you… I will count and name stars with Beta n-now-"

"No, Alpha. Alpha!"

"It's a wondrous thing… an event as pleasurable, as similar to death… A luxury, w-we never really… b-beheld…"

"Alpha!"

Saber's sensors couldn't pick up Alpha's ping, for it has already died out. He outstretches Alpha's arms, as he was in a fetal position. Two halves of the drone that was primarily Beta was there under Alpha's body. He was protecting her.

The cyborg drops down the debris and sees Johnson's shield from the other side of the road, but not the fellow cyborg's body. Charred carcasses of Ravagers and Reapers were littered around, a downed Wretch buried under a pile of debris with its long claws sticking out.

"Status."

"Frame integrity: 79%. Number of Swords: 8/12. Power Capacity: 27.4%. Overdrive Mode: Active. Surviva-"

"Hold it. Overdrive is still active?" he asked, seeking confirmation.

"Overdrive Mode: Active. When Active: F.I. increased to 85%, P.C. increased to 95.1% and increasing drastically. Survivability Rate: 0.0000000329%."

"Worth a try… As long as he is delayed," Saber mutters. He receives a sudden alert in his radar. A blip was approaching fast. The cyborg raises his arms and makes an electric field around himself, deflecting Andras' black sword. The Dark Lord swiftly charges through, tackling Saber back with one push with his shoulder. Saber rolls and skids on the ground, bits of his armor flying off. The metal on his body had multiple scratches and streaks of gray, the paint tearing off. He gets up groggily, one of his antennae hanging off.

Andras looks at Alpha's lifeless body then to Johnson's damaged shield. "Ah… Too late again, was I? Hmm… Saber, was it?"

"Activate Overdrive Mode… now."

"Calculating Risk-"

"Skip them, we're on the clock," Saber mutters, removing a shard of debris on his arm. "Why do this… Andras?"

"You know me? Impressive… I thought I was about to slaughter someone who doesn't acknowledge who I am!" Andras joked. "Hah… you may have encountered me…"

The Noumenon and Malefic Energy began to overheat, escalating the energy levels within Saber. "You were one of the reasonable demons out there… There was a world when you were at peace with us-"

"I am not the same Andras you once met years ago," the Dark Lord interrupted.

"You… told me, told us… that to become powerful, you must be human… And that the strongest shed away their humanity to save humanity… a paradox."

Small arcs and bolts of red energy began to emanate from Saber's body. The interface was beginning to glow with a red color, multiple warnings blipping on it. Saber slowly stood up, his wings releasing his eight remaining swords.

"If we put that in a sense… bastard… you're just dung from the creek!" Saber suddenly charged with immense speed, gripping two of the swords and slashing Andras sidewards. The Dark Lord attempts to retreat by materializing forward, but Saber steps on the ground and dashes back with the same stunning speed, his swords striking the black armor of the spirit. He lands back to his feet, gripping and tearing the asphalt.

"This… this power… feels awesome," Saber muttered. "Who am I even fighting for, again?"

"You're only prolonging your torture!" Andras said, summoning his weapons from the void. "Don't imitate her!"

"Who? Ah… the girl… what she did was of pure intent… we become our own demons someday, just so we can save the ones we love…" the cyborg replied, losing his sense. "What is love, anymore? More and more demons are coming for me, eh? Heheh… I've never felt more alive… Andras…"

The Dark Lord throws one of the javelins and it pierces through Saber's shoulder. The cyborg, however, simply pulls it out, barely feeling hurt. The slits on his helmet slowly turned red as the energy within him spiked tremendously. His head hung low as bit by bit, his memories began to disappear as he slowly grew insane.

"Adrenaline rushing… More and more to eviscerate? I am born a weapon, I've always been… And the sky grows dark…"

Saber's swords angled around him, pointed at the demons and Andras. He grabs one and points it at the Dark Lord.

"You want to get to the Gem?"

"Even if it means killing everyone here," Andras replied. "Are you listening to yourself? You're the one losing sense, not me!"

"Aren't you glad… that I made things even more simple for you? You'll just have to go through me, no more philosophy… no remorse… no hint of fear!"

The demons from the sides began to dive at Saber from the windows and rooftops, and his swords suddenly ejected from the frames of his wings, flying around and circling the perimeter. They began to eviscerate multitudes of the demons, hacking them down with ease.

"This mechanical body, it has given me limitless power… And it's calling me… Rrrrggghhh… Aaahhh…"

Andras throws his swords simultaneously, and Saber raises his arms. Shields of red energy sprouted from his wrists, and he blocks and deflects each of the swords, causing them to dematerialize. Saber channels the kinetic energy received and slammed his shields together, releasing an immense force wave against Andras, pushing the Dark Lord off and damaging his armor.

Andras wills his aura back, slowly repairing the obsidian plating protecting the spirit. "You've lost your mind…"

Saber's breathing labored, his head slowly looking up towards the Dark Lord, the enemy that killed many of his friends… his family…

The swords stopped attacking the demons as they travelled back to Saber.

"And I think… I think I need to go… ON A KILLING SPREE!"

Saber dashes forward and recalls his swords with him. Andras tries to block the slashes, but the red energy breaks through the aura, the blades easily lodging onto the armor and piercing through it.

"Ragh! Time to clip your wings!"

"I'd like to see you try… as I kill without trace… and you will atone for your mistakes as you brave the rising storm!"

Andras summons his swords and they revolve around him. Saber reaches close and strikes down Andras with a flurry of his blades, easily cutting through the black swords and breaking them. The spirit lands a palm of void energy towards Saber, breaking the robot's armor and exposing the exoskeleton. The cyborg doesn't pay attention to the structural damage of his suit and charges again, digging his gold swords onto Andras' chest and stabbing repeatedly, carving through the armor.

"No mercy for a sinner, proud of his own malice!"

"Get… OFF!" Andras manages to summon his gauntlet blades and stabs Saber through the side and on the faceplate, but the cyborg keeps on piercing and stabbing Andras. The volatile energy of the cyborg travels to Andras' armor, and the plates began to slowly break from the intense heat and radiation. Saber hops off of his current position and thrusts his jets downward, slamming his foot onto Andras repeatedly before impaling the suit of armor with his swords. The Dark Lord quickly breaks the sword as Saber attempts to plunge his spare one deeper. Andras blocks and breaks it with his arms as Saber suddenly gets pulled by the jaws of a Wretch. The cyborg rotates his body and boosts upward, bursting through the demon's skull, killing it instantly. The Spitfires began to turn their attention to Saber as the cyborg wills his six remaining swords back, the blades travelling around the air and downing the demons. A large swarm of Hellbats began to approach, and Saber zooms towards them.

"Retribution is at hand!"

Saber releases the pent-up energy form within his suit, the red lightning arcing and forking through the Hellbats like a scarlet light show, electrocuting and burning them quickly. Andras rises to the air and conjures a gigantic hammer, swinging it to Saber. The cyborg dodges it and cuts off the handle with one of his swords, pushing Andras back to the ground like a meteor. The Dark Lord was stunned by the move as Saber began tearing the armor off with his bare hands, crushing them with his hands bit by bit. A Ravager tackles Saber off, but the cyborg simply stabs it with his sword, immediately killing it. Saber recuperates as Andras dashes towards him, raising his sword. He manages to block the strike with an electric shield.

"Yield, Andras… the truth will persevere! With one swift strike of his blade, your regime ends. Poetic justice at its finest!"

Andras stomps Saber's foot, crushing it, and punches through the shield, shattering it completely before stabbing the cyborg with his sword. Saber clutches Andras' arm and pulls the sword off, dislodging himself from the lock. Saber recalls his swords back to him and through Andras, and the Dark Lord catches them one by one, easily breaking them bit by bit. As the swords travelled, Saber extends the frames of his wings and forcefully tears them off of his back, wielding them as stun batons. He charges forward as Andras breaks the last sword, catching him unawares. He strikes his batons repeatedly, stunning the Dark Lord with shocks of red electricity. Andras grabs Saber's arm and tears it off completely, but Saber remains unfazed. He kicks upwards and somersaults, making Andras stumble, and he charges with his foot. Unfortunately, the Dark Lord catches it and breaks the joint, causing it to dislocate. He then forcefully punches through Saber's body. Metal, oil and blood bursts through the other side of the punch. Saber suddenly slowed and stopped attacking, the red light on his slits slowly blinking and powering down.

"A few more left to end, Saber, and it will soon be over..."

"W-Who… is more delusional? The maniac… or the self-righteous destructor?" Saber asked. "It is d-done… all h-he is doing… is waiting for y-you… And we will h-have the last laugh…"

Andras wraps his hand on Saber's helmet and crushes it with his grip, the metal and oil bursting and leaking out and onto Andras' armor. He pulls his arm off of Saber's body as the cyborg's body drops lifeless to the ground, the red energy on his body fading into grey. Andras slowly puts his hand on Saber's body, the metal slowly absorbed into Andras' own armor, serving as substitutes and repairs, The gashes and dents slowly reformed back to one-hundred percent integrity.

"What is prophesized is to become a reality, Saber. And those who live through it will enjoy my blessing… they will enjoy it very much."

Meanwhile…

"Only us left! Saber has fallen!" Kaja says, lashing at a Reaper with his whip. The electric whip coils around the demon and incinerates it into cinders. The Nazar King flies to Estes, who was making more and more healing runes around. "Estes, Saber has fallen. Has Fanny recovered in the citadel?"

"She is, but half of the Royal Guard is gone, and your men have fallen in the field," Estes pants. "Where is he?"

"The Dark Lord? He will be here in a minute-"

"Everyone, fall back!"

The two notice Rafaela and Uranus retreating with ten of the Royal Guard, black swords falling from the sky. A black cloud slowly materializes, and Andras appears, his tattered cape flowing.

"Anarchy behind me, and salvation in front," Andras says. "Only you and me, Estes… my brothers were wrong to let you consult them."

"They were of your descent, but they knew what is fair!" Estes retorts. "She would be very disappointed with you!"

"She won't be when I bring her down myself, foolish elf. You cannot deny the end of Gaius! You try and prevent the inevitable, but I bring it to you!"

Uranus slowly mends the dents on his armor, recharging his energy. "You oppose the balance, just to bring all of this chaos?"

"The hardest decisions… they require the strongest wills!"

"If you believe so, then let's end this!" Rafaela challenges. Kaja cracks his whip, the lightning sparking the ground. The Royal Guard releases their light constructs and they form shields and blades of light, aimed at the Dark Lord. "Let's see if you can fight a collective will… equal to yours!"

"You dare test me, Andras… the Sower of Discord?!"

Estes slowly conjures two glowing blades of moonlight to his hands, radiating with clear energy. "You are in a losing fight, but you do not see it… Peril awaits you in the citadel, Andras!"

Meanwhile…

Alucard's body was slowly being enveloped in light, the coating reaching around his whole body, but it was still incomplete. The hunter begins to notice the interstellar landscape around the dream world slowly fading, the brilliant stars and specks of light fleeing from their positions and merging into his body.

"Lunox, the dream world-"

"Never worry about my sake," she comforted, floating closer to him. "It is all part of the plan… I am not sacrificing my vision for you. I am turning you into it… the truth."

"When this is over… no more of Andras?"

"I cannot say for sure… it's not up to me to decide. In the end, we never really know for sure. It is a fickle thing, our dreams and aspirations. They often remind us that they, themselves, are just mere concepts that we gave life to. But never underestimate belief, Alucard."

"I won't… but how about Andras? How can… how can I defeat someone who has so much hatred… so much indifference inside him? He has gone mad! How can-"

"How did Ruby soothe your temper? Through her affection," Lunox answered. "And to Andras, all of you must do the same."

"Oh… wait, all of 'you'?"

"Yes, Alucard. All of you."

"I don't-"

"Alu!"

He turns around to see a faded, cerulean projection of Yun Zhao near him. "Hey, it's me!"

"Z-Zhao?!"

"Not only him, apparently."

Alucard turned around and saw the fallen heroes suddenly emerge in his vision, bearing the same coloration in their astral projections. Nana and Harley waved at him, and Cyclops appeared next to them, raising his hat. Minotaur was floating behind them, lightly gripping his war hammer. Hylos galloped around the scape, wielding his scepter. Lancelot and Odette appeared in front of Lunox, their faces beaming with happiness.

Every fallen hero appeared in front of Alucard, seemingly glad. Karina, Tigreal, Sun, Hayabusa, Kagura, Hilda, Irithel, Balmond, Aurora, Gord, Argus…

"W-What… how… Lunox, h-how is this-"

"No one is ever truly alone," Lunox proudly states. "You can end one's misery, but never one's spirit, and you will need all that you can muster to face the Sower of Discord, the source of all indifference… deception itself."

"It's okay, Alucard!" Freya began. "We're here for you!"

"G-Guys, I… how are you all here? I saw Andras-"

"It was no illusion, yes," Lesley answers. "It hurts really bad, not going to lie."

"Wait, where are the others? Why is it only you guys around? How about the civilians, the other soldiers?"

"They've earned their rest, but it seems your friends are completely restless about being with you again," Lunox said. "Now, Child of the Fall, do you still doubt me?"

"Lunox… I don't know what to say…"

"Words cannot fathom, they never will."

A low rumble shook the whole area around them, and the white lines of cosmic dust matting the whole landscape like spilled milk slowly began to disappear. The blue-green hue of the space slowly turned to black. Alucard turns her eyes to Lunox. Her orbs of energy on her wings slowly balanced out, but she herself was slowly, physically losing color, fading.

"It's almost time, Alucard… and your other friends will meet you again, one way or another. The Dark Lord draws near, as anticipated…"

"We need to go, for now," a voice called. Ruby slowly floated towards Alucard. "Hey, don't feel bad for us… the pain's gone now, and you're going to finish him for us… for everyone." Her astral projection slowly began to fade out, as well as the other heroes'. Alucard tries to reach out to her, but she was gone without a trace. The whole dream world began to deteriorate into black, and the landscape was just that, total, utter darkness.

"The harbingers of Light and Dark are long gone, swept by the scales of the balance, and balance is the only truth of this world. Andras is no harbinger of Dark, and you are not of Light. The two of you are beyond comprehension."

"Lunox, you're fading," Alucard worriedly states, but she continues her speech, slowly extending her arms out. A bright, white object began to float above her, rectangular light constructs merging together within the singular weapon. Low sounds of machinery and magic indicated the fusion of the weapon, and Lunox hands the blade to Alucard, now fully covered by white energy. After a few seconds, she smiled, closing her eyes, before fading from existence.

But her voice still resounded around the empty void, ringing in Alucard's ears.

"I present to you a new weapon forged from hope that makes us strong. The last sword that will smite reality as we know it…"

"Testament… her name, the last of her kind, borne from thought, realized by divine steel, and she… I give unto you. I bring not peace, but a sword, and you, my harbinger, impose such intervention from the cosmos to the forsaken ground…"

"I trust that you will fulfill my wish… my Testament. Show them the truth… Show them that it is beyond Andras' feeble concept of pain and destruction, that it is something more than just despair..."

"If one lives to seek out a dream, the concept thrives, and thus I say back, 'If one lives to snuff out a dream, the concept can also wither!' You are the Child of the Fall, and I choose you to be the ultimatum… the harbinger of Truth."

"Now… I give you one final question."

Alucard closes his eyes.

"Are you ready, hero?"

"N-No, Lunox… I'm not ready…"

A chorus of voices began to respond alongside Alucard, echoing around the black space.

"But we are!"

Meanwhile…

Uranus jumps up and crashes onto Andras, pushing him further down the steps to the citadel. The Dark Lord phases off and charges straight towards Estes, already preparing his static bubble. Andras conjures his swords and tries to puncture through Estes' shield, the dome slowly breaking.

"For millennia, you left me to rot in that desolate chest!" Andras fumed, already kicking down the protective shield. Estes slowly recovered his injuries, his wounds closing up and fading. "And now, you resist me?"

The Elven King wills the shield to explode, and he unleashes a beam of white energy towards Andras, slowly tearing and pushing away the spirit's armor. He tries to escape the beam, but Kaja appears from the side, his armor heavily damaged. The Nazar King lashes out with his whip and keeps Andras stationary. Rafaela channels light from the heavens and strikes it down towards Andras. Uranus appears behind the spirit and begins punching Andras down to the ground as he gets locked down.

"Give up this unnecessary murder! The Royal Guard, the Nazar, the Orcs… what more do you wish?!" Rafaela asks. "Extinction? This is no miracle you impose!"

"Of course… a miracle… nothing is more terrifying than a miracle!" Andras' aura began to twist and coil itself around Estes' destructive beam of light, slowly reaching up to the king. He suddenly conjures spikes from his back and Uranus suffers dozens of punctures, his celestial energy slowly being leeched to Andras. The beam of light backfires, throwing Estes, Rafaela and Kaja off to their butts. Andras stands up, shaking his body off to recover his movement. Estes manages to recover and shoots a bolt of energy, but Andras phases through it and kicks Estes to the gate of the citadel. The king breaks his own skull and his senses dull. Kaja pulls himself towards Andras with his whip, but the Dark Lord grabs the Nazar and rips off one of his wings. Kaja grunts in pain and attempts to fly off, but Andras pulls him down and repeatedly stabs his body, causing the gold ichor to spill in multiple places. He lets go and leaves Kaja to bleed, turning back his attention to Estes.

"And now… my vengeance is sought."

Estes conjures a momentary shield, but Andras' kick breaks through the defense and onto Estes' face. He continuously assaults Estes as Uranus tries to recuperate. His energy was slowly being leeched out, tendrils of yellow energy turning into black, transferred to Andras. The bronze guardian reaches out to Andras with his arms, but the Dark Lord holds out his arm onto Uranus, telekinetically keeping him put. Andras clenches his fist, and Uranus' metal body begins to collapse inward. Straining noises could be heard as Uranus struggles to break free from the grip, but Andras brings his arm down and reduces Uranus' body to a rough ball of bronze, resembling a ball of crumpled paper.

Andras then resumes punching Estes to the gate, but Rafaela climbs on his back, preventing him from continuing further. Frustrated, Andras pulls her off and slams her forcefully onto the marble railings of the steps. He teeports and materializes above the angel and lands on her, breaking her spine into two. He grabs the falling body and proceeds to claw at Rafaela's back.

"Tired of her kind… always so stubborn," the Dark Lord muttered before pulling out her whole spine off the body with one pull, the corpse turning onto jelly. He throws Rafaela's body far off down and crushes the spine with black void energy.

"It is over…" Estes breathed out, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. "It's over!"

"We'll see about that, then we talk!" Andras transfers some of his dark energy to Estes and the elf king convulses, feeling extreme pain. His chest slowly started to bulge outward as Andras extracts Estes' heart out of his chest. The Elf King drops dead on the gate, and the whole sky slowly turned gloomy and dark, as if a wave of pollution and smog entered the atmosphere.

Andras looks at the gate in front of him. "I will have to break it down-"

 _BANG!_

A bullet hits Andras' helmet, but it simply bounced off, barely making a scratch. He turns around to see Clint running towards him, emptying the last clip of his revolvers on the Dark Lord. Andras scoffs and slaps the shooter with the back of his hand, and he was now stuck on the wall adjacent to the gate. Andras summons his swords and they fly off, piercing through Clint and the wall. A swift, easy death.

"Why did he even try? Why do they all try?"

"Because they know you are the one at fault."

Andras turns to face Lunox, her astral projection slowly flickering out and fading. "You should've gone to the Gem earlier, Andras."

"Hahahahahah!" he laughs. "Where are you now? Fading… becoming forgotten. All that's left of this world will be darkness, as the universe foretold!"

"You are mistaken… you always have followed a blind dream… your aspirations killing you."

"And what did you do, huh? When a child was battered within the alleys of this place, when demons advanced from the Wastelands, what did you do? You left! You are afraid to make do with the gifts the world gave you!"

"I'm not afraid, Andras," she said. "Not anymore… and so is he!"

The Dark Lord yells and slashes at the projection, and it disappears. Lunox' voice still boomed overhead.

"Let it be known… you are a monster of your own making! You seek victory, but instead, fate brings you your downfall!"

"SILENCE!" Andras shouted at the sky. "SILENCE, I COMMAND YOU, ARROGANT WRETCH!"

He begins to kick down the gate, hordes of demons beginning to crowd behind him. Some of the Spitfires and Hellbats began to break the windows of the citadel, wedging themselves through.

Meanwhile…

"There, on the windows!"

Layla hears Lolita's warning and releases projectiles of Malefic energy onto the oncoming Spitfires, throwing them off the walls of the structure. The Genesys Gem was already white-hot and glowing with ferocity, but there doesn't seem to be anything else happening to it. It was simply floating a few feet above.

"Is the thing alright?"

"Yeah, Yinsen! We just need to hold on!" Fanny answers. Suddenly, a large bang was heard from the door. A medium-sized dent appeared near the handles. "Crap, he's here!"

"Okay, Lolita, you know what to do!" Yinsen reminds. Lolita steps on the center of the battlefield, wielding her Noumenon hammer. She hefted it and overcharges its energy, preparing to slam it to the floor. The gates were slowly beginning to budge, and the silhouette of the Dark Lord could be seen on the crack between the gates.

"Chou! Back away!"

"Got it! Layla, you ready?"

"She's all good!" Bruno replies, giving a thumbs up. "On the count of three…"

"ALL OF YOU IN THERE… YOU WILL NOT HOPE TO SURVIVE!" the Dark Lord shouted, now using his swords to break through the gates.

"ONE!" Layla begins to charge her cannon, the nozzle glowing with immense energy. Lolita closes her eyes and braces for the attack,

"TWO!"

"THREE!"

Andras breaks the gates and they fly off to the group, but Lolita manages to strike the ground with her hammer, the doors stopping in mid-air and breaking due to the kinetic force waves. They tear off, the metal shredding off themselves and flying back to Andras. He blocks the debris with his black aura, but Layla pulls the trigger and a huge beam of destructive energy bursts from the cannon, encompassing the Dark Lord. The laser splits and shoots outward, exiting the citadel and spraying itself around the demons in the vicinity. Andras held up his arms, the Malefic energy nearly burning through the armor.

"Layla, hold on to the beam!" Bruno reminds. He throws his ball to Andras, but the Dark Lord didn't even budge. The ball ricochets back to the demons slowly entering through the citadel, trying to wedge themselves in. All that Chou could do was stay back as Andras easily approached Layla, bearing the immense heat and damage of the cannon.

"He… he's not fazed!"

"What?!" Yinsen exclaims, pointing a pulse shotgun towards Andras. He pulls the trigger, and a spray of blue energy travels towards the spirit, but the shells bounce off of the armor, ricocheting back to the hunter. Yinsen manages to dodge it, and the projectiles bounce towards the Spitfires and Hellbats on the murals, downing them easily.

"Little girl… all of you… runts!" Andras approaches Layla and grabs her cannon by the barrel, crushing it. The gunner drops the weapon and tries to run, but Andras summons his chain sickle and it latches onto Layla's shoulder. Chou runs and tries to kick Andras down, but his leg bounces off of the armor as the Dark Lord pays no attention. Fanny zips from the upper level and tries to slash at Andras' armor, but her last pair of swords break. The Dark Lord unleashes his aura, throwing the last heroes off. He then pulls Layla towards him and stabs her multiple times with a gauntlet blade, dropping her to the ground.

"Urk… g-guys…"

"LAYLA!" Lolita charges behind Andras, but the Dark Lord throws his arm back to the elf, releasing a volley of swords. She raises her hammer, forming a Noumenon shield, and the swords lodge themselves onto the barrier. Andras turns towards her and walks, throwing more and more swords to her. Lolita absorbs the dark energy to her hammer and throws a volatile ball of Noumenon energy towards Andras. He blocks the attack as Lolita swings her hammer. Andras dodges and phases through, grabbing Lolita by the neck and pummeling her to the ground like before, her body slowly turning into a pulp. Chou grabs a nearby plank and strikes it toward Andras, but he keeps stomping on Layla, nearly turning her head into a pulp of viscera. Bruno yells and tries to kick Andras' helmet, but the spirit grabs both of his legs (with only one hand) and slaps him to the ground like a ragdoll. He throws Bruno to a nearby pillar and follows it up with a volley of swords, impaling the Protector to the column. Bruno spits out blood from his mouth, trying to pull the blades from his body, but Andras throws the last sword to his head as he keeps on slamming Lolita's already lifeless body to the ground. The sword pierces through Bruno's goggles, and he was dead like a dartboard.

Fanny yells and strikes with her broken swords, but Andras pushes her back with a punch, and she rolled to the ground, doubling over. The flyer tries to stand up, but a Ravager pounces on her and begins to sink its jaws onto her face. Fanny tries to activate her flight gear, only to be reminded that it was already destroyed during the fight alongside Saber and the other cyborgs.

"H-HELP! SOMEBODY!"

"Fanny, I'm coming!" Yinsen calls out, holstering his shotgun. Andras spots the hunter and conjures a large hammer, striking Yinsen out of the citadel and into the open air. His screams echoed around as he landed roughly to the ground, the Spitfires and Hellbats more than eager to devour them. The Dark Lord then turns his attention to the only hero left standing.

"Damn it, why does it always have to be me?" Chou mutters to himself. "A minute is all it takes, and this edgelord is going back to hell."

"You're afraid," Andras began.

Chou scrunched his eyebrows, pretending to be confused. "Of what?"

"Death. You're the last one."

Chou suddenly snickers at the thought, until it grew to spontaneous laughter, echoing around the walls of the citadel. He supported himself to the nearby pillar, trying to hold back his tears from his laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"Hahahaha… okay, sorry, sorry," Chou began. "Okay, let me just get this straight, alright? You… just basically like, killed everyone here and there and let everybody die then and around and then you accuse me of being afraid to die? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

The demons began turning their heads to each other, also appalled by Chou's reaction. Andras grunts dismissively. "If you don't stop-"

"Don't stop? We've never stopped, Andras. We're just letting you in!" Chou suddenly fires. "Listen here, tough nut, you've got nerve slaughtering people by the hundreds, and if anything, that proves one thing… you're the one who's afraid! So paranoid to the point that every living person in this place is on your hit list! But I won't back down, you know why?! Because I'm gonna-"

Andras punches Chou hard, sending the fighter flying to the Genesys Gem. Chou's back hits the Gem and he grunts from the pain, falling flat onto his face.

"W-Was that a fracture? Argh… Rrghh… come on…"

"Stay down, boy," Andras threatens. "Your final warning!"

Chou stands up groggily, shaking his left leg. He wiped the blood trickling from his mouth as he balled his fists, his knuckles bleeding.

"I won't… I made a promise, and I'm keeping it!" Chou dashes and launches a flurry of jabs and hooks to Andras' armor, slowly fazing the Dark Lord. His flaming fists slowly began to make dents to Andras' armor.

The spirit, however, was barely even hurt, and he stomps his foot to Chou's thigh, breaking the femur in two. The fighter recoils from the pain and clutches his leg, the bone slowly protruding through the skin. He attempts to shake off the injury, but Andras follows it up with a javelin, piercing through Chou's chest. The fighter pulls it off of him and charges Andras, raising the spear.

"Pitiful… as always."

Andras summons a dagger and stabs it through Chou's heart, and he stops, coughing up more blood.

"H-Hehe… N-Nice…"

"Hmph…"

Andras pulls out the blade and lets Chou drop to the ground. He lets go of the black javelin, his breathing growing labored as he clutched the wound on his chest.

"S-So long… so long…"

The light within Chou's eyes slowly fades, and Andras kicks off his body to the side, easily approaching the Genesys Gem. The spirit was astonished by the brilliance of the Gem as it slowly rotated around itself.

"An artifact of purity… the blood of Gaius," Andras spoke. "My demons… our victory is at hand, and the world shall be ours!"

The demons behind him 'cheered' in response, some of them roaring and howling. Their cries echoed around the demolished Land of Dawn as the fires continued raging. Andras touches the Gem with his hand, somewhat caressing it.

"Did I not tell of this day? Didn't the heavens prophesize this moment? All that is left for me to do… is to destroy it!"

Andras summons a large war hammer from the floor. He grabs it and raises it with his arm, wielding it with one hand. He prepares to aim his swing at the Gem.

"AND THIS BEAUTIFUL LIE THEY'VE CREATED… WILL SOON BE WIPED OFF THE EARTH!"

He swings the hammer…

Suddenly, a bright pillar of blue light knocks Andras backward, enveloping the Genesys Gem. Small boulders from the ceiling fell down to the ground as the vortex of energy bursts from the dark sky, driving off the Spitfires and Hellbats in the air. Andras covers himself with one of his arms, his cape flowing from the powerful winds that seemed to come from the pillar of light.

"W-What… What is this?!"

The demons slowly backed away, growing nervous. The Wretches snarled, but they were intimidated by the phenomena. Andras was confused. Everyone is dead! All that was needed was to break the Gem and prevent the shards from coalescing again. Corrupting it was not part of the plan, but he did touch the Gem before trying to shatter it…

"What is this? This isn't what's supposed to happen!"

The pillar began to collapse inward, the light slowly dying and fading away. The Dark Lord squinted his vision in order to see what was really happening. The rising storm in the sky began to dissipate and diminish thoroughly, and the atmosphere wasn't cloudy. One thing's for sure, however. It was no longer dark outside.

The winds die out and the debris and dust stop blowing towards Andras and the demons. He uncovers his arm in order to see the aftermath of the event. Andras was shocked.

The Genesys Gem was no longer there. Nada. Nothing. Not a trace of it was in sight.

But Andras knew something was up. He walked to where the artifact was and inspected the scene. The demons slowly crawled forward, trying to understand what their master was doing.

"No sign of it… Wait…"

There was a sigil drawn onto the floor where the Genesys Gem was hovering above, and it was seared onto the marble like a firebrand. Andras angled his position and was able to discern the image before him: A humanoid figure, somewhat standing upright with his head bowed, a pair of broad wings fully extended from the curve of his shoulders.

"No…!"

He looked up to the sky, and he could see the glint of a falling object. Andras quickly retreats before the foreign item descends faster and crushes him.

The object lands down with a resounding _CLANG!,_ confirming that the object is metal. Andras looks behind him.

It was a greatsword… but no ordinary weapon. The design was completely new, unbeknownst even to the Dark Lord. It had an L-shaped cross-guard, one of its sides slightly covering one edge of the blade, so Andras considered it as one-sided, but the blade was also sharpened in the 'dull' side. A dark, titanium-based alloy was used to fashion both the pommel, grip and cross-guard. A deep, accent line (presumably the fuller of the weapon) was etched, even to one of the sides of the blade, along with a few holes on it. A portion of the cross-guard was made out of gold, with a sheet of bronze covering the space unoccupied by the intricate markings on it. An orb of blue-yellow energy calmly radiated its energy, the light reaching the far ends of the massive hall of the citadel.

Andras slowly approaches the weapon, calm and focused. Suddenly, the sword slowly levitated, hovering around a few feet above the floor it struck. Mechanical gears could be heard from within, and the blade split into five pieces, and surprisingly, each of them had a handle made of dark, varnished oak wood. They hovered around close to each other.

"This w-weapon… it is magnificent-"

Before Andras could finish his statement, the segments aimed straight towards him and knocked him off to his feet. As the Dark Lord was stunned form the sudden attack, the blades began to cut through the groups of demons, catching them unawares. They pierced through their bodies and amputated their limbs, and some of them scrambled in confusion and terror, trying to get out of the structure. Andras gets up and eyes the blades that broke through the ceiling and resumed their evisceration, scaring and terminating the Hellbats and Spitfires. Some of them tried to claw down the blade, but they could barely even touch it, finding themselves cut to ribbons and shreds.

"No… my pets! Don't you harm them!" Andras charges his dark aura and summons tendrils of void matter, seeking to restrain the blades and break them. However, as he caught one, it simply broke free, slicing through the tendrils of dark energy and ricocheted to Andras, the blades easily cutting through his obsidian armor. In desperation, the Dark Lord unleashes his aura, shaking the blades off. They then returned back to their original position, hovering above the humanoid symbol.

A blue streak of light suddenly descends from the hole in the ceiling, and the cyan outline of a figure picked up one of the pieces of the greatsword before dashing back to another. The figure caught the other blades and they merged as one before the mystery person lands to the ground, genuflecting on one knee with his blade held in his left arm, reared back.

Andras clears his vision and looks at the assailant in front of him. The cyan outline disappears as the figure reverts back to its original color…

It was a man, no… a young adult, with a handsome face and a moderate jawline. He bore long silver hair, fashioned with high fade and loose pompadour. He wore a shirt with a slightly plunging neckline, covered by a thick criss-cross pattern. The figure wore clean pants, and it was hard to distinguish whether it was made out of leather or denim. His combat boots were particularly shiny, somewhat immune to the dirt around.

In his right arm was a large gauntlet, bearing an artistic design that is similar to the greatsword. The same can be said for his shoulderguards. A black hand wrap covered his left forearm. The man wore a trench coat of intricate design, a silver badge on its left breast. In the back of the coat was a foreign pattern of silver streaks, and the ends of the clothing bore the same distinguishable pattern, the metal gleaming off despite the obvious lack of light sources within the hall.

Andras recklessly decides to charge at Alucard. The hunter throws his greatsword into the air and punches Andras back to his starting point. He catches the greatsword with his right arm and unleashes a destructive fission wave… a mixture of white light and void energy. Andras takes the full force of the wave, trying to block it, but portions of his armor forcibly shreds off, scattering to the floor. The large walls of the grand hall began to collapse outward, scattering down the hills and into the unlucky demons, the sounds of falling concrete, crashing marble and broken glass heard around the broken landscape. Andras clears the dust off the field and runs straight to him.

"Andras."

The Dark Lord stops as Alucard spoke, drawing his greatsword. "Andras… I now know."

"I assume she told you everything about me? Every lie?"

"Every truth. Don't twist the words."

"Hah!" Andras scoffs. "I am more reasonable than her, Alucard! What she says? It's all a wild delusion, an irrevocable idea!"

"Do you think you've thought any better? She has seen worse. She told me about your schemes in the Old War… the way you tricked Vexana, the tortures you set for Leomord… how you ended the lives of your own brothers, the ones who were understanding enough to stop you in your tracks."

"Then there would be no point in tricking you, then," the Dark Lord sighs. "The only way is to convince you, Alucard… And this is the proof!" He outstretches his arms, motioning around the once-beautiful kingdom.

"What do you wish to convey?" Alucard asked.

"Don't you see what's all around you? Destruction, spanning for miles, a home for guilt and endless despair… and chaos! It has barely been half the day, and this is what I have done… raze your proud structures off of the roots. My demons and I have slain all that have stood against me, all of them! And I let them do so in a brutal fashion, the language they speak. All of this… it's because of what? Some spark of 'hope', believing that you can stop the inevitable?"

"Then what is the inevitable? Why go beyond yourself to achieve something such as this?" the hunter questions. "Alice would rather drink the blood of the people instead of murdering them outright. Vexana would use her minions and gain more followers. Zhask would simply take the shards of the Gem and flee… but you seek to destroy… you sought to raze!"

Andras slowly walked around sideward, the clanging of the obsidian armor echoing. "Do you know of our end? When planets collide, when stars fade or turn into brilliant supernovas, and destroy everything in their wake? Do you know how many times Gaius has been threatened by the interstellar cosmic?! Your friends heard me right, Alucard. I do not cause suffering… I end it! If we keep enduring all of this nonsense, we destroy ourselves! We tear each other apart! Only when Gaius has fallen will we cease to exist… and so does all of the pain!"

"Andras-"

"Oh, don't deny it! All of the suffrage that this world has caused upon your fellow friends, upon their own family, it has warped their minds, and not for the better! And now, they all cling to false faith as they let themselves endure the cuts and bruises. Despite all vain efforts to unite, the Land of Dawn has fallen, and it's just you, me, and my pets."

"That's not true," Alucard replies. "You're lying!"

"I speak the truth! Then let us consider that the bastard goddess is right!" Andras continued. "This is how it ends… we fall to the void, and we become nothing! And who knows how we will perish?! Will the sun embrace the earth, turning this paradise of yours into a fiery inferno, or will the black holes emerge and break reality as we know it? The universe, despite being immortal, has a start, hunter, and soon, it will have an end, and end that I seek to bring to end our suffering early! Because from what I have learned, Alucard, after all of these millennia, toying with fate and the balance, after all of this madness that you accuse to me… is that NOTHING. LASTS! FOREVER!"

Alucard stopped in his tracks. He bent his head downward and looked down on the ground, the black sigil still prominent. At some standpoint, he knew Andras was correct. What if all of this bloodshed was pointless? What if this is what was meant to happen, all along? The end of all they know, drawing everything to a close? It seemed impossible to refute…

He sighed, closing his eyes. "Y-You're right…"

Andras perked up. "What?"

"You're right about what you said… nothing lasts forever. It's undeniable. One day, everything could be gone, nothing will survive…"

"Are you-"

"Not even love… not even hope, not even our own faith… Nor the pleasures, nor all of this grace. Not even mercy, not even happiness…"

"Ah… now we agree on something," Andras wholeheartedly says. "Now you see the bigger picture!"

"Not even peace… nor glory… not even hate."

"W-What?"

Alucard slowly raised his head and stared at Andras, the irises of his eyes glowing with blue energy. "Not even hate, nor disgrace, nor indifference, nor cowardice… nor the pain, nor the tears, not even sadness! Not even they thrive for eternity!"

"You-"

" _You_ are right… no good thing lasts forever, Andras… But that doesn't mean we will be subject to just simply do the opposite of what is bearable… of what is pure! I now understand… whatever we do, in this world, or anywhere else, right here and right now, it will decide the fate of everything… and that's what matters! Maybe you are right. Maybe we've been too stubborn, changing our destiny, trying to find a way to escape and soothe ourselves. Maybe all of this is bound to happen at some point, but the two of us know that it's better knowing that we've done something instead of nothing!"

Andras couldn't speak. Alucard was backfiring everything that the spirit argued and expounded.

"All of this destruction… this pointless chaos… Maybe after all of this, it will be replaced by a rainbow, an era of peace and celebration. Maybe this is all just a nightmare… but it isn't! This is the truth, the reality of the world we tread on, Andras! You call us blind, you call us ambitious and hard-headed, trying to prevent you from causing all of this, but you are among us as well! We are so much more than what you say we are, because you only cling to one side of the story!"

"Light will cease along with Darkness, and that is truly so for eternity, until time itself withers away and left to rot in the void, but the end isn't what you should've laid your sights on! You should've acknowledged how far we would stride… how far we would sacrifice everything just to get to this point, and that is your grave mistake! Nothing lasts forever, Andras. But we… all of us… we can change the future! The world has brought us here to make us decide its own fate, to make one's dreams become reality… and if necessary… THEN I'LL HAVE TO TAKE YOU ALONG WITH ME IN ETERNAL NOTHINGNESS… **YOU AND YOUR ACCURSED DREAM!"**

Alucard raises his greatsword and strikes the ground, gripping the handle with both of his arms. On his back, two pairs of white, broad wings sprouted and fully extended, the feathers lined in perfect symmetry, bearing sharp patterns. The sphere of energy in the blade began to hum with power, blue and yellow streaks and clouds forming around it. The sigil on the floor began to blaze with blue fire, arcs and prominences of light illuminating the citadel ruins.

Andras was dumbfounded.

"You… I thought you would agree with me… BUT NO!" The Dark Lord suddenly grew in size, his armor expanding and increasing as well. He grew until he was four and a half meters tall, and he fashioned a humongous greatsword from the void and held it in his hands. "You're just like the rest of my brothers… their eyes tainted! And you, Alucard… **I WILL FEED YOU TO THE WOLVES MYSELF!"**

Andras charged, the ground slightly shaking, but Alucard doesn't budge from his stance, as if he was waiting for something to come. Suddenly, an unknown force pushes the Dark Lord down to his butt, causing the marble floor to creak.

The Child of the Fall smirked. "So, Chou, you feeling better?"

The kung fu boy landed on the ground, whooping loudly. "HELL YEAH, I'VE WANTED TO DO THAT FOR A LONG TIME!" He beheld the same appearance as the other heroes when Alucard was in the dream world, just an astral projection, but he felt as solid, as lifelike and as real as ever.

"Then wait in line for your next chance. More are coming."

"Sure- wait, did you say… 'more'?"

Alucard looked at Chou, making a sarcastic expression with his face. The Dark Lord tries to stand up, but a powerful lightning bolt puts him back down.

"We aren't late for the party, aren't we?"

Alucard looks at Eudora, Aurora and Gord. "Nope."

"Good… because the crashers are now right here!"

One by one, the projections of the heroes began to abruptly appear. Andras tries to phase through in a cloud of black smoke, but a streak of scarlet energy sends him backward.

"Well, here are some good news," Hayabusa began, Kagura beside him. "Not only are we still explosive… we have the weapons back." He pulls out his katana. "And also, the dirtbag's going down."

Zhao, Miya, Natalia, Tigreal, Freya, Sun, Karrie, Irithel, Lapu-Lapu, Bane, Yi Sun Shin, Alpha, Saber, Estes, Kaja, Bruno, Argus, Rafaela, Cyclops, Lolita… everyone was now standing beside each other, facing their greatest enemy. The skies were clear and the day has grown brighter. Herds of flying demons began grouping and coalescing to each other, snarling and roaring at the heroes that have returned. The Ravagers, Wretches, Reapers and Hellhounds have come back from their retreat, surging through the streets and avenues in order to climb back up to the ruins.

"This was the plan?!" Roger exclaimed. "Then I should've killed myself."

Franco guffawed, raising his hook. "Darn right, wolfy! But now… this is payback time!"

They all raised their weapons and prepared themselves as Andras conjured large weapons from the void, the demons now beginning to ascend.

"If you want it, then we can strike now," Uranus told Alucard. "We will never leave you."

"Thank you… all of you, guys… it's been an honor to be with you," Alucard greeted, pulling his greatsword out and pointing it towards Andras.

"Whenever you're ready!" Layla reminds, charging up her cannon.

"Time to go out, one last time!" Alpha yells, riding Beta and raising his spear. "FOR THE LIGHT!"

" **FOR THE LIGHT!"**

"AND FOR THE TRUTH THAT WILL SET US FREE!" Alucard voiced, an aura of blue flame enveloping him. "Now that you're all here with me… come on… Let's go end this son of a bitch!"


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: Beyond The Ends of Reality**

So, this is it.

The final battle.

As Andras threw the huge weapons straight to the heroes, Estes and Saber conjured static shields just in time, absorbing the void energy consisting the blades and repelling the force back. The Dark Lord covers his arms to block the ricocheting energy, which provided enough time for everyone else to charge simultaneously.

Layla and Gord unleash beams of radiant light against Andras as soon as the spirit lowered his arms, the lasers hitting straight to the helmet and onto Andras' eyes. He lifts his hands again as he grunts from the pain received. Alucard zooms through and kicks Andras square on the chest like Chou possessed, sending him literally flying dozens of meters off from the citadel and onto the ground.

"Everyone, push Andras back to the battlefield!" Estes warns, no longer summoning healing runes, but rather, offensive combat runes that dangerously floated around, zooming and piercing through the clamoring demons like interceptors. "We need to fight him on the corruption!"

"Isn't that the opposite of what we should do?! The corruption is blanketing the whole place!" Gatotkaca yelled, leaping high into the air to knock Andras back down and to prevent the Dark Lord from recovering.

"If you want to beat Andras, then make him fight harder!" Argus replies, his cyan silhouette extensively illuminated. "I have been able to make him overwork when I fought him, it expends too much of his energy! What we need to do is to expel his spirit!"

"But his armor keeps regenerating, we'd have to keep the assault constant!" Johnson reminds before transforming into a car, bringing Cyclops, Nana and Harley. "And we are just ghosts, we can only fight him and not his demons!"

"Just get to Andras immediately! If you can't fight the demons, then they can't touch you, not one bit," Alucard suggests, his wings extending. "I'll clear off as many as I can before I get back to all of you! Don't let Andras breathe!"

"Consider it done!" Kaja swoops down and notices that the Dark Lord has already phased out of Gatotkaca's grip, his obsidian armor suffering multiple dents as he conjures more blades. Johnson revs from the stairs of the citadel and crashes onto the huge knight. The cyborg still speeds up as Andras gets caught on the spiked front bumper. Harley teleports outside with his hat and throws flaming cards at Andras, some of them wedging through the armor and incinerating the spirit.

"That's for killing my big sister!" Harley shouts. Andras tries to grab the mage, but Cyclops throws waves of stardust at the spirit. Andras ejects himself by expending a bit of his aura, breaking free from the car. A Wretch bursts through the infrastructure, attempting to ram on the side of Johnson, but the demon simply passes through the apparition, stumbling on the demolished avenue.

Hylos conjures a pathway, helping the heroes speed up and chase to Andras faster. Yun Zhao bursts into flames (now blue instead of yellow-orange) and sprints through the crazed demons that tries to break their formation.

"Wait, where's Alucard?!"

"If he doesn't handle the demons, we won't be able to defeat Andras," Clint responds. Fanny zips through the streets with her cables, easily catching up with Johnson, Kaja and Hylos.

"Clint's right. We're going to have to keep Andras on his toes," Gossen says, running alongside Zhao as he grins mischievously. "I think our hero will be alright."

As soon as he said it, the sky suddenly darkening, with bright flashes of light temporarily illuminating the air in some moments. Sounds of crackling thunder and warping energy sounded as a small pillar of light began to emanate from the sky to the citadel. Alpha turns behind him and sees streaks of blue light bursting from the ruins, which were fragments of Alucard's greatsword. They traveled around the kingdom, weaving and carving through the demons that blanketed the roads and buildings. One of the segments of the blades burst through the building, coated in the blood of Reapers. Alucard himself hovered in the air and forcibly flaps his wings, some of the white plumes falling and turning into white-hot daggers, following the same random interception-based behavior as the sword's fragments.

"Badass," Lolita remarks, smirking. "Absolute badass."

"Yeah, don't get mesmerized, Andras still needs to cover a few miles more!" Karrie interrupts. "Gord and Eudora, they're pushing him back a lot further. We need more firepower."

Saber responds by applying more thrust in his flight systems and transforming back to his regular form, slamming his feet onto Andras as soon as the Dark Lord manages to get up from Eudora's wave of lightning. Andras rolls and skids roughly on the ground as the marksmen kept on shooting him, never letting him recover from the knockback.

"I killed all of you once… then I can do it again!" Andras concentrates his energy and releases a wormhole made of void matter, throwing it to the apparitions of the heroes.

"Crap, watch out!" Fanny shouts as she latches tightly onto the wall, the wormhole's immense gravity nearly pulling her in. The others grabbed onto the walls and stopped as the wormhole completely destroyed their fast-break momentum. Using this chance, Andras summons black chains of dark energy, lashing at the heroes that stayed still. The chains easily tore through the infrastructure, creating rough gashes on the frames of the buildings.

"ALUCARD!" Minotaur bellows.

Seemingly in response, a blue streak swooped down and began to accelerate through the whole avenue, reaching near-supersonic speed. Another white streak followed it, zooming faster and somewhat absorbing the energy of the wormhole. Andras charges his chains and lashed forward, attempting to wrap them around the hunter and prevent him from making contact. Suddenly, the streak blinks out from sight and reappears forward, completely dodging the black chains. Alucard punches Andras through his helmet, creating a huge inward dent on the metal. Andras crashes through the main walls, the boulders and debris flying off with him, and he rolls on the black corruption, covering the ground like some sort of infestation. Alucard grips Testament and releases a black fission wave, accented with cyan and white light, pushing Andras back farther.

The heroes managed to make a linear formation, the corruption somewhat ineffective in terms of hindering their movements, but it has boosted Andras' capabilities.

"I'm beginning to regret this plan, you know that?" Miya tells Estes. "Just what are we going to do?"

"No matter how much we try destroying that armor, it will keep repairing," Alucard explains, the five segments of the Testament greatsword flying back to him and slowly reforming. "But if we aim for his actual essence, his spirit, he will do everything he can to regain his momentum, so it's best we try and expose his weak spots."

"We're going to have to find the chinks in the armor fast, because he's growing more pissed by the minute!" Bruno warns. "Alucard, some of us will distract the edgelord while a few will put him in place. Anyone who's not doing anything besides that can expose the joints of his armor."

"You won't let me take the big one?"

"Dude, you can still die. We're just holograms, but if you die, all of this would be for nothing!"

"Then let's make our shot count! Argus!"

The angel leads the charge along with Kaja, Uranus, Johnson, Alpha, Saber and Fanny. Andras was now fully upright, and dozens of blades were formed by the corruption. The flyers dodged and weaved around the weapons as Kaja lashes at the Dark Lord with his whip. It coils around the neck armor and the Nazar commands the weapon to electrocute.

"GRRAAAAHHH!" Andras then yanks Kaja, but he lets go of the whip and suddenly descends, clawing at his helmet as Beta rides along to provide more focused fire on Andras' helmet. The Dark Lord becomes preoccupied as Saber begins to carve through the lower sections of the armor with Argus. Fanny latches her cables around the legs in order to try and restrain Andras, while Johnson does the same through winches from the bumpers of the car. The black spirit manages to separate his legs, causing the plan to foil. He swats away Kaja, who manages to fly off alongside the others as Andras unleashes his dark aura in a larger radius than before. Gord charges up spheres of mystic energy and throws them at Andras, exploding like impact grenades upon contact. Because of this, Andras shrinks back to regular size and charges at the mage with four swords trailing by. Aurora steps in and casts a sheet of crystalline ice, and the black swords break upon impact. Minotaur then slams his hammer to the Dark Lord, throwing the spirit off into the air. He then casts large spears resembling tungsten rods and throws them down to the ground. Rafaela, Estes, Gatot, Freya, Argus and Eudora kick down and disintegrate the black rods before they could impact the ground.

"You may have been reborn… but this is a fight that I will win!"

"Then come down and prove it, hotshot!" Hayabusa taunts, dashing up in the air as a shadow. He manages to hack and push Andras back down, forcing him to create copies of himself. Hayabusa then focuses on the clones as Andras desperately aims downward to finish the ninja, but Nana throws her boomerang (seemingly enlarged) which hits Andras on the head. The melee fighters began to charge again at the Dark Lord, but Andras makes several clones, amounting to ten.

"Alucard, you know where the real one is, so get him!" Balmond barks as he swings his axe to a clone, dematerializing it.

The hunter hovers and slowly covers himself with his wings, charging up his energy. A low, warped hum began to echo around the field as he began to glow. In a flash, Alucard releases the charge, allowing hundreds of silver blades from his wings to scatter around the field in a mile-wide radius, extinguishing the Dark Lord's clones. The spare daggers returned back to Alucard's wings as plumes of feathers. Andras was now around twenty meters from the closest hero, several white daggers puncturing his armor. Estes began to notice the aura of Andras slowly diminishing, the cyan wisps of energy slowly being snuffed out by the black void matter. Bits and chunks of obsidian armor were sprawled out in front of Andras, disintegrating.

"Tell me this is it," Alucard asked the king. "This is where we win?"

"We'll have to stick long enough to find out!"

"Fine… then I'll deal with Andras himself. Take care of the clones, they're now rising from the corruption we are all stepping on!"

More and more silhouettes identical to Andras' figure did appear from the corrupted ground, conjuring more and more swords, axes and spears.

"I guess I'm taking orders to a kid, then?" Estes joked, enhancing his offensive runes.

"Don't get used to it, don't want to say goodbye to you in that state!"

Alucard unlocks Testament, causing the fragments to separate from each other as he zooms straight to Andras. The Dark Lord attempts to counter, using blades, tendrils and blasts of dark energy to force the hunter back. Alucard corkscrews, using his wings and Testament's fragments as shields and defensive sentries before expanding his wings wide again, grabbing Andras' face in mid-air and slamming it to the corrupted ground. The greatsword fragments swirl and hover as they slash at Andras one by one. Alucard spins around, using the feathers of his wings as both sword and shield, cleaving through Andras' armor while blocking the incoming void blades and projectiles simultaneously. The Dark Lord shoots up to the air to gain leverage, but Alucard simply stops spinning and thrusts his wings downward, now eye-level with Andras.

"Perhaps I was wrong…" Andras began, six of his clones beginning to hover around with him, preparing their offensive strategy. "She chose perfectly."

"You won't utter her name because you're afraid of her… and now, I'll make you become afraid of us," Alucard replies, Testament's fragments hovering next to him. "Your demons have scattered and fled… it's now just you and me."

"Just imagine if the seraphim didn't find you in that cave, battered and broken!"

"I'm glad he did… For I now have the privilege to end the bastard behind all of this mess…" The Child of the Fall yelled, his blue aura burning. "Bring it on, Andras!"

Meanwhile…

"Tigreal, gimme a lift!"

The knight turns and genuflects, raising his shield over his head. Natalia sprints and jumps up to Tigreal's shield, using it as a bouncing pad to slice through one of Andras' clones in the air, while the knight stabs another.

"Didn't think… we'd be now fighting like this," Tigreal blurts out, spreading his arms around, motioning. "I mean-"

"Sudden, yeah?" a voice interrupts. Franco throws his hook on one of the clones, trying to keep it tethered. "S-Sometimes… Rrrgggh… LITTLE HELP HERE!"

In response, a swarm of indigo butterflies fluttered swiftly through the tethered clone and slashed and struck at it, the projection's essence dissipating. Miya manifests from the indigo butterflies and nocks arrows of light, shooting three clones at the same time, forcing them to blink or dematerialize. She manages to overpower one, dodging its swords by simply twisting and angling her body around before shooting its head, causing the clone to disintegrate. The other two begin their retaliation, but Freya flies and bashes her shield to one of them, causing the clone to fly off backward and hit the other clone behind him. Argus comes from behind and slashes through both of them, the clones finally dissipating.

The two suddenly get forced with their backs on each other, five clones concentrating their beams of black energy towards them. Both Argus and Freya strengthened their auras, which were blue due to their apparitions' standard cyan color, and relieved themselves of the lasers.

"They're too many… and new batches of demons are approaching," Freya informs, noticing the presence of hordes of Wretches and Reapers. "Let's give Alu some breathing room."

"Sure," the angel replies. "Let's bring Zhao and Miya, let Karina take down the clones herself, she can handle it." He points to the elven assassin, easily slicing through the clones in a delicate dance of death, her blades resonating.

"No mention about before?"

"If we do this, then we'll talk about it. Up for it?"

"Hey, you two literal lovebirds quit frolicking around, there's the scumbag to handle!" Bane shouts from below, jamming his crab claw within one of the clones and repeatedly shoots from within. "Let Alucard clear off the demons!"

"Wait… did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

They turn around and see a winged figure suddenly appear, wagging its tail. Alucard covers himself with his wings and the greatsword's fragments in order to shield against Andras' blasts of void energy, as well as his clones'. He glances behind him and somersaults, releasing himself from the blasts. The protodrake exhales waves of blue fire, the heat burning Andras' armor and the winds pushing him backwards from the air. The beast roars in defiance, extending its wings into the sky.

Alucard rode on the protodrake's back as the reptile turned its head towards him, somewhat cooing. "Yeah, we missed you too, buddy. Let's give them hell!"

He hops out of the reptile and lets it fly above the demons, spraying its fiery breath around the field. Despite the protodrake being a mere apparition, the fire was also manifesting in a physical state, incinerating the demons into ash and cinders.

Andras zooms towards Alucard with his greatsword raised. The hunter grabs Testament and their blades meet, locked in a stalemate. Sparks of yellow burst through as their swords make contact.

"Did you know how I slaughtered them all… your friends?!" Andras taunted, more of his clones appearing and clashing at Alucard with a flurry of melee attacks. "Then I will do the same to you… hundreds of times over if I need to!"

"Then they will be more than obliged to return the favor!" Alucard blinks out before the multiple spirits could pierce him simultaneously, and he kicks Andras back down to the ground, the sudden trajectory making him go dizzy.

"He's all yours!"

Ruby, Lapu-Lapu, Hilda, Irithel, Gossen, Roger and Chou quickly travelled to where Andras landed. The Dark Lord attempts to flee, but Ruby yanks him back from the air towards her, slashing and spinning with her scythe. Hilda slides and strikes Andras' shin armor, ripping them off. Lapu and Gossen stab their blades behind Andras, and the assassin casts his swords through Andras' obsidian armor, forcing large chunks of metal to drop or burst off. The Dark Lord unleashes his aura and throws the heroes off. Irithel charges her crossbow and shoots at Andras from elevated ground, the projectiles exploding upon impact. However, this actually served as more of a distraction than an actual attack in order for Roger to charge as a werewolf, pouncing on Andras and shredding off his armor. Around half of the armor integrity was completely destroyed as Roger used both of his claws and teeth removing more chunks of the obsidian armor.

"Grrraaaahhh! Putrid beast!" Andras throws one of his swords, but Roger simply dodges it by dislodging one of his arms. He grips both of his claws and completely rips out one of the arms of Andras' armor, chewing on it mercilessly. Andras expends his aura in order to escape, but Chou kicks Andras on the back, sending him flying as well. Roger returns back to his human form and punches his mechanical glove at the spirit's chest, giving Franco enough time to land his hook to Andras. He swings it back to Chou in order for him to force a kick, more chunks of obsidian flying off. Franco lets go of Andras as Kaja follows up, using his whip to coil around Andras' waist and slams him to the ground. The spirit's armor bounces off once on the ground, and Hayabusa and Kagura come in contact and activate their soul energy, pushing Andras back a few dozen meters. The spirit's armor was in a state of disrepair, and it was enough for the heroes.

"Urgh… I will not… accept defeat!"

Dozens more of his clones began to materialize around the heroes, quickly approaching and conjuring blades and spears.

"Alucard, can you take those out?"

Rafaela had to look at Alucard, as the hunter was responsive, but he had one of his arms raised, signaling a pause. The heroes were puzzled.

"Wait, why aren't we attacking?" Nana asked.

"I've got something HUGE appearing on the radar!" Saber warns. "Hold on… is that…"

Small earthquakes shook the earth as the Dark Lord's clones charged… and spontaneously dematerialized, some of them being knocked to the side by a large, unknown force. The other heroes didn't know what was happening until they heard a familiar voice.

"BASH BLACK ANTS WITH HUGE TOWER! AVENGE GROCK'S FRIENDS!"

The gargantuan, real-scale apparition of the stone titan appeared, lugging around his huge tower. Andras yells in frustration and conjures large black swords and spears and throws them toward the titan. Grock covers himself with his arms, and he barely gets hurt, as the swords were like pinpricks. Andras zooms above to challenge Grock, but a figure jumps from his shoulder and throws a spear of unmatched power, piercing Andras and pushing him back to the ground. Moskov's apparition lands on the ground and repeatedly throws his spears from afar, restraining Andras in a prison of javelins.

"Why act so surprised? Finish off Andras!" the marksman said.

Some of the heroes followed suit and decided to race for it before Andras could break free.

Alucard landed on the corrupted ground. "Moskov, there are still some clones left unattended. I'll take the left while you and the few others take the right."

Moskov nods as Alucard dashes onto the left side of the battlefield, taking down Andras' clones by himself. The marksman runs to the opposite direction, noticing Uranus, Clint, Yi Sun Shin, Hylos, Sun and Yun Zhao take care of the clones, but Moskov knew they would be overwhelmed by the minute.

"EVERYONE, CLEAR OFF!"

The group turn their heads and notices Moskov charge his spear with his arm. They veer off to the sides as Moskov throws his Spear of Destruction. The projectile suddenly splits in mid-air, raining black spears that fall and pierce through the clones.

"The others need more help to put Andras down," Yun Zhao said, pointing to the center of the chaos unravelling. "I got this."

"Then don't leave me out here behind," Moskov responds, teleporting right next to Zhao. "You know you won't be able to take the clones all out alone."

"But Andras' attention is divided-"

"No one wants to risk it… Anyway, good to see you."

"Yeah, you too- Wait, how-"

"Lunox told me there was no more harbinger of Dark... She appointed me."

Yun Zhao nods, slightly confused. "Makes sense. Anything else you can do?"

"Well, I can fly." Moskov slowly transformed his physique, growing large, back horns with multiple armored plates, hints of purple energy glowing on the tips. His own face was slowly covered by a mask. A pair of black bat wings unfurled from his back, a devilish purple overlay coating the skin on the wings. A rough, fur collar materialized, wrapped around his neck as his own hands was then covered by abyssal gauntlets. His spear grew more refined in detail, now with two tips akin to a pitchfork, with a pair of small bat wings resting below the head.

"Well then, I guess we're even?"

"Sure," Moskov answers, raising his own spear. The clones began to appear again, trailed by dozens of hovering swords and axes. "Ready to relive some memories?"

"Ready?" Yun Zhao chuckles, bursting into flames. "I've been wanting to do this ever since!"

Meanwhile…

Sun throws one of his cudgels towards Andras, spawning one of his clones. The Dark Lord swings his sword to the original Sun, but the monkey king ducks before slamming the end of his staff downward, causing Andras' helmet to crack.

"How's that for predictable now, putz?!"

Andras unleashes his dark aura and throws Sun off before he could get overwhelmed. Kaja catches Sun and helps him land safely. The Nazar had Ruby holding on to his other arm, and he throws her directly to Andras, her scythe raised. Andras throws swords of darkness, and Ruby swats them away with her weapon, digging her scythe onto Andras' armor. She yanks the metal off, ripping a huge chunk.

"Glasya-Labolas, cease!"

"Just you and me," Ruby snickered. "I don't need him anymore!"

Freya charges from the back and slams her shoulder onto Andras and pushing him closer to Ruby. Ruby rotates her scythe and slashes upwards, the blade snagging onto Andras' whole armor. The Dark Lord attempts to flee, but Miya materializes from a swarm of butterflies, shooting down Andras' legs and pinning him shut.

"Not enough, more cover fire!"

"Sniper ready!" Lesley hopped onto Johnson's roof and crouched, shooting high-caliber bullets onto the weak points of Andras' armor. The projectiles made moderate-sized holes on the sides of the armor, helping Ruby pull off the whole front completely. Andras was surprised to see that he had now been completely exposed. He attempts to break the holds using his aura, but Estes generates a static bubble around the Dark Lord, causing the energy to ricochet and backfire completely back to him, now around ninety percent of his armor stripped off. The king collapses the static bubble inward, ensnaring Andras in moonlight energy.

"It didn't have to be this way!" Estes began. "You've broken the balance!"

Eudora, Aurora, Gord, Rafaela and the other mages now circled around Andras, focusing their magic and energies towards the Dark Lord. Hayabusa and Kagura concentrated their volatile soul energy and enshrouded Andras with it, the void matter of the spirit slowly numbing down. The other heroes noticed that shards of obsidian and tendrils of corruption emerged from the ground, aiding Andras, which forced them to take care of the rising situation before the Dark Lord would regain the upper hand.

"Don't let them near Andras!" Fanny yells, slicing down the growing tendrils that begun to reach out to her friends. "If he gains back his armor, we're toast!"

Gatot manages to punch a chunk of obsidian away before being knocked by a larger piece of black metal. The obsidian travels to Andras and slowly morphs into a huge greatsword. Andras grabs it in desperation and swings around frantically, near ending Eudora then and there. The force waves push the apparitions off, sending them in a daze. Uranus ducks in and concentrates his celestial energy towards the Dark Lord as links of yellow lock down Andras again. Grock stomps forward on the field and begins to slam his tower onto Andras.

"BASH BLACK BUG WITH TOWER! GROCK AVENGE FRIENDS!"

To his disappointment, the tower slowly began chipping away as Andras was taking the blows painfully (but successfully). He conjures large weapons from the corrupted ground and throws them at Grock, piercing through the titan. Though not dead, Grock recoils from the pain, trying to pull the swords and spears off of his chest. Argus flies in, throws his claw and pulls himself forward, stabbing through Andras' armor, trying to leech away as much of the void energy as he can.

"GRRRAAAAAHHHH! ARGUS! YOU… WILL NOT-"

Andras was interrupted by Argus' headbutt, the Dark Lord's helmet shattering into several pieces.

"Everyone, tether, NOW!"

"Coming in hot!" Franco yells, landing his hook onto the black, ethereal wisp. "We need more!"

"What? More hooks, more magic, more what?!" Hilda asked, striking down one of the Dark Lord's clones.

"ANYTHING, FOR THE LOVE OF ODIN, ANYTHING!"

Freya responds by piercing her sword through Andras. The spirit yells in agony as more and more heroes began to arrive, using their weapons to hold Andras back in place. Hayabusa stabs Andras and holds hands with Kagura, redirecting their energies towards the Dark Lord. Uranus gets assisted by Kaja and Rafaela as the other marksmen began to stop firing at the clones and onto Andras.

"We need more!" Sun said, spawning more of his clones and using their cudgels to lock Andras' limbs in place. The Dark Lord began to grow in size. "I SAID, WE NEED MORE!"

"ALUCARD'S NOT DONE!" Lolita shouts, whacking Andras with her hammer. "Where are the cyborgs?!"

"We're already here!" Alpha says, pointing at Andras with his spear. Beta began to shoot bullets onto the spirit. Argus, Freya, Bane, Franco, Uranus, Estes…

"Any more?!" Karrie asks. "Not enough!"

"Karrie! Step back."

The marksman turns to see two familiar faces begin to appear out of the blue, literally.

"Odette, now!"

Lancelot charges through the corrupted field, slashing and puncturing the clones that began to emerge near Andras. He stabs his fencing sword through what is presumably the Dark Lord's forehead. Odette runs and hovers, releasing her own magic as the sound waves stresses down on Andras, slowing down his size increase.

"What about Zhao and Moskov?!"

As soon as Odette spoke her warning, the duo appeared, sprinting towards the mass of confusion. "HOLD ON!"

Moskov stops and charges his spear in case Andras breaks free. He assesses the desperate lockdown. "Zhao… Andras isn't fully restrained…"

"What?" The spearman asked, halting on his tracks.

Miya scrunched her eyebrows. "Zhao, come on!"

Moskov panicked. "HIS ARM! GET HIS ARM!"

It was too late. Andras throws a dagger towards Zhao, piercing through his shoulder. He falls to the ground, clutching the wound. The Dark Lord abruptly increased in size as the heroes struggled to keep him in place. Argus began to lift off into the air, using his wings as thrust.

"Hold on!"

Grock, fully recovered, raised his tower in order to strike the Dark Lord. "GROCK HELPS FRIENDS!"

A spark of blue light began to emerge from afar. Alucard zooms through with his greatsword, daggers of silver trailing by him.

"End of the line… Andras!"

"Foolish… to think… YOU CAN BEST ME?!"

Andras concentrates the dark energy within him and the restraints suddenly nullify. It bursts around his vicinity, causing everyone to scatter off. The area suddenly gets shrouded by a thick cloud of gray smoke as the heroes that tried to lock down the Dark Lord lay exhausted on the ground.

Chou wafted the air off, coughing. "G-Guys… Andras…"

Estes recovers and uses one of his spells to clear off the thick smoke. He sees Miya, Karina, Roger and the others trying to regain their footing…

"I will not be bested… by these mortals!"

Multiple clones of Andras hovered above the downed heroes, prepared to stab them with his swords.

"And this world of yours… WILL FALL!"

As Andras' clones raised their swords, silver blades pierced through them, easily dematerializing them. Alucard flies low and tucks his wings, slicing on Andras' heel as the other daggers sliced down the remaining clones. The hunter jumps high into the air and unfurls his wings back, channeling Testament's energy.

Time slowed as Andras quickly conjured a greatsword above him to shield Alucard's strike. The Child of the Fall closed his eyes…

" **VOLO PRO VERITAS!"**

He arced and swung downward, carving through the entirety of Andras' sword, from the tip to the pommel, before extending his arms and slashing through the Dark Lord's ethereal body. Alucard lands and spins around due to the force of the fall before stopping to face Andras, a severe cut matted in a mixture of white and black energy. The spirit slowly began to succumb to the aftermath, Andras' energy and aura beginning to dissipate.

" _This should be it… come on…"_

"Tell me this is it…" Natalia muttered. "Please…"

The heroes watched as Andras writhed in pain, clutching and somewhat clawing away at the wound on the spirit. Alucard could see the struggle in Andras' eyes, the wisps flaring and dulling at random intervals. The Dark Lord won't stop.

"It's not it… Not it," Alucard says, fixing his position while Testament begins to separate again. "This is not it!"

"Alu…"

He turns to see Bruno's apparition slowly blinking out. "Bruno, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, I'm… I'm disappeari-"

He suddenly disappeared into air before he could finish.

"Alucard, defeat Andras!" Lancelot warns, trying to rush to the hunter, but he too, fades like a shadow. Odette was deeply concerned, only to see herself dissipate as well.

"Guys," Zhao began, his arms disappearing. "Andras…"

"What do you even know…" Andras began, the clouds slowly turning the bright sky gray and dark. The landscape suddenly became enshrouded with black mist, as if the whole atmosphere was painted matte black. "What do you know about it all?!"

"Andras, stop!" Alucard yells. In the corner of his eye, Aurora and Bane has dissipated. "What is this?!"

"The corruption has consumed the world… and your friends are no longer welcome! The only trespasser left to eradicate… **IS YOU!"**

"Alucard, defeat Andras! You need to-"

"Hold on… No, no, no," Lesley stammers. "Oh, no…"

"Funny feeling in Grock… not good for Grock…"

Estes warns before fading, trying to reach out. "Alucard! Take away his-"

"Alu, you need to-"

"Guys?! GUYS!" Alucard calls out as his vision slowly darkens. "Damn it!" He intensifies his blue flame aura in order to be able to see in the dark. The hunter feels the ground below him slowly disappearing. The apparitions of Harley, Kaja, Balmond, Alpha, and the others slowly began blinking and fading away, trying to find at least somebody near them, somebody to cling. He could feel boulders, blades and tendrils of black energy surrounding the whole atmosphere. He could hear the large crashing and clashing of rocks around him, as if the whole landscape was tearing apart…

"Andras… what did you do?!"

"I am doing what needs to be done… WIPING YOU OUT OF GAIUS!"

Alucard releases dozens of silver daggers from his wings around the whole zero-G space, using the glint of the blades to see. Andras was far away, the distance between the two barely discernible. He was hurling swords, spears, boulders and concentrated beams of dark void energy. The hunter uses his wings for thrust and soars through the dark airspace, trying to reach Andras. He throws his greatsword onto a humongous boulder looming down on him and the weapon causes the rock to splinter into multiple pieces. Andras fires a beam of energy in the middle of the debris and hits Alucard square on the chest. Alucard gets pushed back to a gigantic chunk of land, but Andras doesn't stop with the assault, forcing Alucard through the whole floating landmass and the rough soil beneath the formation. The hunter had to use his wings to regain control, but the void weapons have responded quickly, trying to cut them off their frames. Testament splits and intercepts the swords as Alucard veers to the side, trying to find a proper vantage point against the Dark Lord.

"Gaius… tearing itself apart… just the way things need to be!"

"Don't give me anymore reasons to stop you!" Alucard threatens, slowly flying forward through the interstellar field as small blinking lights could be found around the space. "You question why your own brothers plotted against you, but the answer is right here in front of your very eyes!"

"Yes… and so is the end of all things… The ultimatum!" Andras roars, his spirit slowly growing in density and size. Some of the debris that floated and moved towards Andras were swallowed by the growing darkness like fish food. The Dark Lords converts some of this mass into weapons of the void, aimlessly homing around to search for Alucard. "This world is perfect… but it has you in it, the only obstacle to overcome!"

"Lunox foresaw this world if no one is to stop you anymore… she has lingered within a replica of it, Andras, and it is a lifeless world that no one will cherish in the end!"

Alucard flies above the spirit and zooms downward, striking Testament on Andras' front. The spirit grunts in pain as Alucard teleports towards the lodged greatsword and pulling it downward with him, creating a more lethal wound on Andras' ethereal body. He dislodges himself and flies away, the silver shards around his body protecting him from the black weapons that trailed behind the hunter. Andras conjures large tendrils from the void and attempts to wrap them around the hunter. Alucard sees this and maneuvers through the scape in a random flying pattern, seeking to disorient Andras. He ducks to dodge a long, black tendril and grips his greatsword, cutting the tentacle off. However, the other tendril manages to curl around Alucard's leg. A few of the white daggers quickly slice and scissor down the tendril just before a bunch of black axes and spears eviscerate Alucard.

" _Can't fight him physically… how can I do this?!"_

"You're just an ant to someone like me, Alucard, and you cannot hide!"

A mass of weapons burst through a huge landmass, catching Alucard off-guard. The Child of the Fall reacts by shielding himself with his wings, hardening the plumes into silver daggers. Some of the weapons disintegrated due to the blue aura Alucard possessed, but the larger and tougher weapons mercilessly tries to carve the wings out. Alucard swoops down to break free, but a stray blast of void energy hits one of his wings.

"Argh! I can't get close!"

A miniature clone of Andras' spirit appeared, seemingly responsible for the attack. Alucard checks his wing, which has already weakened, barely even stretching.

"One's almost dead…"

He charges towards the clone and slashes at it, before encountering two more in the corner of his eye. Alucard throws his greatsword and it easily wipes out the pair of shadows. The hunter attacks frantically, trying to clear off the field around him as more and more black weapons and projectiles homed towards him. He stops suddenly, noticing that a large group of Andras' clones have begun to circle around him as they threw more and more attacks.

"Gaius, falling apart as I tear off the roots, giving the salvation it solely deserves! And if needs must, I will rip every part, every fabric, every brick, EVERY ATOM OF THIS UNIVERSE AS I DO THE SAME TO YOU, ALUCARD! And no one will remember what has occurred, as we delve further… **BEYOND THE ENDS OF REALITY!** "

Alucard tries to find an exit from the situation he's in, but he was completely locked down. It won't be long before the clones begin to pierce through his wings, or make the flaming aura suffocate. Andras spawns more tendrils from the interstellar void, the stars in Alucard's peripheral vision slowly fading out. Numerous galaxies that spanned across for light-years began to fade out into existence, the sace growing cold.

"You aren't content… this is not enough for you, is it? You're not going to stop…"

The clones manage to dispel the blue aura enveloping Alucard as his wings served as his only defense. Most of the dark blades focused on tearing off the white, armored plumes while the others have already cut and stabbed through Alucard. The weapons that did easily dissipated into nothingness, but the hunter was hurting from the wounds. Instead of blood or ichor, cosmic light and stellar fluid poured from his wounds, as if a universe was bleeding out. Testament appears from the far side of the void, the fragments racing towards Alucard.

"You will learn… I'm sick of hard-headed, glorified nutcases!"

The greatsword's segments cut through the clones that were focused on tearing apart Alucard. Instead of merging back, they remained in this way, accelerating at a constant, but shocking rate.

"This is the price to pay for gladness?! You should know what you've truly done… AND YOU WILL GET… **WHAT YOU DESERVE!"**

Alucard unleashes the pent-up cosmic energy within his body and spirit, eradicating all of the void-based weapons, disintegrating the tendrils, and breaking the debris into smaller chunks. He concentrates the energy again and releases another supernova of light, blinding Andras as the cosmic starlight slowly snuffs away the dark energy within the spirit.

The hunter attempts to zoom through the debris-filled zone towards Andras as more and more stars and galaxies began to disappear from his vision, darkening the whole space. He manages to punch Andras' spirit back to a large concrete structure, the blocks of the building scattering off into the unknown. Andras regains control and travels in near light speed, his and Alucard's arms locking onto each other as the two unstoppable forces struggle to overpower their opponent.

The Dark Lord summons more clones in the vicinity, making them conjure weapons. Alucard pushes himself away from the clash and dodges the blades and javelins. Andras summons half a dozen tendrils of void matter and one of them snags onto Alucard, keeping him in place.

" _Damn it, no!"_

"We've gone far enough, boy… and this is the end for you… and her fruitless crusade!"

The clones float up to the restrained hunter and empty their projectiles onto him, while some of them launch beams of dark energy onto Alucard, seeking to extinguish his existence away. He struggles against the grips of the tendrils, but it was no use. Testament hovers in to break Alucard free, successfully taking down some of the clones and disorienting Andras' focus. Unfortunately, a few spare tendrils and clones managed to cling to the blades and restrain them as well, using either physical force or chaos magic. The metal of the blades easily bent and crushed due to Andras' rage fueling the dark energy. Alucard's body was already disappearing as his wings were clipped off, and only stumps were left on his back. His physical essence was being torn apart, but his spirit still remained, almost unwavering.

" _I can't beat him… he's too much for anyone… I should've-"_

Andras yells in anger as he focuses more fire onto Alucard, his body already gone. "Your body crumbles before your spirit… it will take long before I am done with you!"

" _Physical prowess cannot do anything… he'll always come back!"_

Andras releases his grip from Alucard and clutches the glowing soul of the hunter before throwing it off forward, the apparition crashing onto the debris.

" _I'm sorry, guys… everyone… I couldn't-"_

" _Alucard!"_

He opens his eyes and he found himself in an empty, black world, but there was no debris, no Andras, no threat… nothing. But Alucard could hear a voice in his mind, no… two voices, slowly turning into three, building up into a unified chorus.

" _Kiddo, wake up! Shake your head! This fight's not over!"_

"F-Franco?"

" _He's right! We have one more trick up our sleeve, but you need to reach us now!"_

"Uranus! G-Guys, where are you?!" Alucard shouts from the void. "I can't-"

" _Behind you!"_ Layla's voice cries out.

The hunter turns to his back and sees a white-blue spectre of Lunox floating dozens of meters away. Her left arm was outstretched, and minor constellations appeared on her body.

" _Only through affection… this is the final option,"_ the goddess of Twilight said, her voice ringing in Alucard's mind. _"Alucard, everything is at hand!"_

Alucard squints his eyes, his vision blurry. Rumbling sounds of impact echoed around the nothingness, and he could see white cracks around the space, as if they were inside a sphere of blackness.

" _Hurry! You need to take their hands!"_

He blinks and sees Ruby, Lolita, Hayabusa and Clint with one of their arms outstretched, just behind Lunox. Every time Alucard blinks as he tries to push himself through the dark, more and more apparitions of his friends and the other heroes appeared, formed like an endless pyramid with no bottom, with Lunox on top.

" _Alucard, go!"_ Fanny urges. More and more voices began to cry out, pushing Alucard even more as the cracks in the black space grew and grew.

" _C'mon, lad! A bit more wriggling, COME ON!"_

" _This is it, our final push! Don't give up!"_

" _You know what this is for, Alucard! It's for everything!"_

"Come one, come on!" the hunter tells himself. "GODDAMNIT, COME ON!"

" _Push harder! You're almost there, take out hands!"_ Saber vocalizes. _"This is for everything we've been through!"_

" _The fight's not over!"_

" _Alucard, hurry!"_

The fabric of nothingness began to deteriorate, as if there was still something from nothing. Alucard was a few feet away from Lunox' outstretched arm. He utters a guttural cry of desperation as he nearly slips from his trajectory. More and more people came into view, all of the civilians, the other soldiers, the other fallen, their hands outstretched to him.

" _ONE. MORE. PUSH!"_

" _FOR EVERYONE WHO FOUGHT!"_

" _ALUCARD!"_

" **FOR THE TRUTH… FOR THE TRUTH THAT WILL SET US FREE!"**

Alucard's gauntlet clutches Lunox' hand and he pulls himself towards them, closing his eyes as soon as the nothingness breaks apart…

Andras turned his back, somewhat relieved from the clash that ensued. The galaxies and stars have now completely disappeared

"No more… I have done it… All… has been fulfilled."

He turns back to see the aftermath, and notices something peculiar. Beyond the path of destruction caused by his flinging of Alucard's spirit into the vast blackness of the new, corrupted universe, a small, twinkling light was in front, and the rays slowly grew.

"What…"

Andras could feel something terrible emerging from the light as he could see chunks of debris and landmasses breaking off. It was no light. It was a hypernova of unparalleled proportions. The Dark Lord shields himself with his dark aura, and the waves of the explosion hit Andras. He couldn't hold his position and soon enough, he was flung by the insane gusts of the blast, the light crowding his vision. Andras was blinded by the sheer light as he skids and rolls around the scape, which is appalling, because there was no more ground to traverse. He opens his eyes and notices that he was lying on his stomach on the ground, his dark aura slowly dissipating.

"N-No! What is this illusion?"

"Illusion?" A voice rang around the white, and Andras couldn't discern who the speaker was. "This is no illusion… This is it."

The blinding light slowly fades out as Andras clearly sees where he is with his own eyes. He was back into Gaius, most specifically, the barren, corrupted ground. The whole planet was somewhat intact, and he was stepping onto the everlasting plains. There was no mountain, nor sea, nor tree in sight. The sky, however, was not gloomy, but bright, as the sun was resting on the horizon, the late afternoon passing.

"This is what you spoke of, Andras… the ultimatum."

The Dark Lord tries to find the speaker, and he sees a forming apparition, around fifty meters away from him. As the cyan light slowly forms the walking figure of Alucard from the legs to the head, the hunter outstretches his right arm. Testament was not in sight, nor any weapon at all. Andras conjures a sword from the ground and throws it at the specter, but it simply passed through Alucard's spirit, his figure untouched.

"NO! I had it in my hands, and you still took it away from me… YOU CURSED WRETCHES!"

He tries to summon more of his clones or his weapons, but it doesn't work, as the black soil slowly turned into a thriving green, the grass shining brightly as the sun's warmth coated the landscape. Andras turns back to determine Alucard's position, and he notices more and more figures appearing behind and around himself. The heroes slowly reformed back through the cyan light, their arms also outstretched. Slow, wavering wisps and tongues of cosmic light trailed around like smoke, travelling towards Andras.

"NO! I WILL NOT DESIST!"

"I'm tired of fighting anymore… don't give me another one of those million reasons," Alucard voiced. "And now, we'll bring you down along with us."

Andras yells, but deep inside, he was afraid. He concentrates the dark energy within his hands and sprays them around the apparitions, seeking to dematerialize them. He manages to wipe away half of the apparitions that consisted the heroes, but they slowly reformed back again, nearing Andras. Specters of the fallen soldiers and the civilians and citizens of the Land of Dawn began to appear as well. Men, women and children, everyone, crowding around Andras.

"The truth has set us free… Now it's time for you to stop as well… Stop this madness, and embrace the peace…"

"NO! NOOOOOOO!" Andras unleashes his dark aura, the black void energy resonating through the whole field. It eradicates all of the specters, but Alucard's still remained, his image barely flickering. As he reached out to touch Andras' spirit, his essence slowly balled up in a concentrated mass of defiance itself. The energy clouded over Andras, the tendrils of energy burning right within the dark matter and slowly expelling or engulfing it, one way or another.

" _Andras…"_

" _You see one side of the coin, you reject to discover the other end."_

"NO! NO! THIS… C-CANNOT BE!" Andras stumbles down on the ground as the apparitions that slowly reformed huddled and surrounded the Dark Lord, their light essences fusing with the void energy.

" _I think we should stop, okay? It's over. No need to fight endlessly anymore… endless chaos without sense… the deeds are done."_

"NO! SPARE ME! P-PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU! NO!" Andras begged, but it was no use. The whole scape was slowly deteriorating again as reality begins to break apart due to the merging of light and dark, slowly, bit by bit, destroying the balance, the only truth of the universe.

" _We're going now, and we'll let everyone else mend, okay? I think we've done enough… We are enemies… but I am grateful,"_ the voices rang, their volumes rising.

" _Without you, all wouldn't fall into place… all wouldn't be fulfilled and set into motion. Conflict is resolved through conflict, and the cycle ends… But the ultimate paradox can end it all… here and now!"_

"NO! PLEASE!"

" _All… has been revealed!"_

Andras cries out in panic and immense pain as he suffocates, the light and dark clashing with one another. Mixtures of recollected memories and encounters of destruction and restoration flooded his collective mind, tearing apart his existence. Memories of love, hate, grace and despair, originating from every apparition that touched him clashed within him, and all that Andras could do was succumb to the unfathomable phenomena.

" **NO! NO! ALUCARD! SPARE ME, P-PLEASE… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

A huge flash of light and chaos magic originated from within the Dark Lord's specter, quickly razing the flourishing green grass and the dream landscape, switching back to the interstellar blackness. Light and dark merged, destroying the fabric of comprehension beyond repair as the end was sought…

And then… there was nothing.


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: One Last Desire**

There was nothing… but white.

Alucard didn't know how much time has passed. A millisecond, or dozens of lifetimes? All he knew was that he was standing on a blank landscape covered in white, as if he was standing on a sheet of paper like a molecule. His head hurt as shocks of numbness and pain slowly left from his body… assuming he has one.

He did, he was fully intact. His demonic arm was gone, replaced with a regular human arm, but he was wearing his red Demon Hunter outfit instead of the black set of clothes he wore as he and the other heroes fought against Andras. Wait a minute, what about Andras? Why is Alucard even there in this vast, white scape? Shouldn't he have known about what happened to the Land of Dawn? Where was his friends? Where was Lunox? All he knew was that there was a flash of light-

"Did we… win?"

Alucard closed his eyes and concentrate, trying to focus on some sounds or anything, but there was nothing around, nothing to see, nothing to hear, nothing to experience. Just a huge, empty space, covered in white. There was no one around at all, only him.

"H-Hey… this is nuts. First, the dream world. Second, outer space. Third, is this?"

He scratches his head as he tries to take a step. Alucard stops, his foot lifted up. He notes the sound of trickling water coming from his boots, but there was no fluid on the ground. Alucard theorizes the presence of clear, invisible water on the ground, probably a millimeter in height or thickness. He touched his 'wet' foot, only to realize the soul wasn't physically wet, but completely dry.

"The hell… This is new… Somebody should be here. The water, or whatever this is, it's here for a reason."

Alucard attempts to walk straight ahead, the sloshing of the water echoing around the space, as if he was in a virtual dimension. He tries to discern any form of irregular or foreign movement or presence anywhere, but the world he was in isn't Lunox' dream world. He knows that the cataclysmic merging of Light and Dark… of Truth and Lie… it decimated reality. It broke apart the fabric of the universe, but he doesn't believe it. The universe is immense. There's no way a small focal point of illogical convergence would destroy galaxies, much less the observable universe. Though, he did see planets, stars and galaxies disappear without a trace, seemingly swallowed by black holes in an abrupt manner. It took the collective consciousness everyone to defeat Andras and turn everything against the Dark Lord. The price to pay could be what he was experiencing right now…

Eternal torment, in vast nothingness.

But what about the clear water on the ground he was walking on?

"Does the water even move or anything? There should be something-"

Alucard jerks his head upward and sees a figure. Well, it was an odd figure, no doubt. It was an owl, but it was larger than the usual owls Alucard has encountered. It was around the size of an adolescent, if you don't count the wingspan. His feathers bore colors of brown, cream and white. The bird had large yellow eyes and sported round, full-frame glasses. A ski cap was on the bird's head, with a small, yellow flower on it. The owl wore a comfy set of clothes, adorned by a scarf with a blue-yellow pattern. He held a thick tree branch on his right hand with a treehouse on it, which possessed a clock with cartoonish features. He was flapping around with his free wing.

"What in the… Hey!" Alucard began to call out, running towards the owl. It turns its head towards the hunter, and his neutral expression turned into one of happiness, then into nervousness.

"Toot, toot! Here you are! I knew you were just somewhere, but you found me first before vice versa, nice!" The owl squeaked. He had a child's voice.

"Hey, uhm… where am I?" Alucard asked. "Where are we, exactly? Where _is_ everyone? And most of all, why are-"

"Woah, woah, woah, mister! Easy with the questions, even I have trouble explaining everything!" the bird responds. "Because everything here doesn't make sense at all, if you don't open your mind to the impossibilities!"

"Impossibilities? No offense, but I've had my fair share as well, so I think I'll comprehend this place. So, what? What's all this white space?"

"Usually, this isn't white space, mister!"

"Alucard," the hunter interrupts. "You can call me Alucard."

"Okie dokie, Alucard! As you can see here, this white space isn't meant to be white space at all! All of this… it's the endless ocean of time!" The owl proclaimed cheekily, spreading his wings while twirling around happily. "Yep, the endless ocean of time!"

"Ocean of time… so you mean to say that this is meant to be lively and raging and all of the time?"

"What? No, no, no, storms don't need to occur for time to take its natural course! Small waves on the water means good time flow and constraint! The storms mean that something bad is happening to the continuum, and by now, you would already acknowledge the fact that I just faced the greatest storm to ever occur in these waters, Alucard!"

"You know too much about time, do you?" Alucard asked, awestruck. "Let me guess… you're a prodigy, an aspiring horologist."

"I'm no aspiring horologist. I already am a horologist! Horology has always been my craft. Oh, and if you haven't known about it yet, Diggie is my name!"

"Diggie… sounds familiar…"

"Hahaha! Toot toot, that's the déjà vu confusing you, Alucard! Don't worry, it will pass like always. It's a constant feature here. My name is so familiar. Though, I think you know why you are here!"

"To bring back the ocean of time?"

"Not just that," Diggie chirped. "Well, uhm… I think the pretty blonde woman didn't tell you about the plan, right?"

"Wait, wait, wait, hold up," Alucard interrupts. " _This_ is the plan all along? _This_ is Lunox' plan?"

"For you to be here? No, it's something else. This ocean of time… it's not moving. Stagnant. It can mean many things. It's either time ends, taking a short break, or moving beyond light speeds! Even I don't know how those works, and I don't want to find out soon enough."

"So, Diggie… what are we supposed to do?"

"See the treehouse on my wing?" Diggie said, raising the tree branch. "The clock isn't moving because the ocean of time is nada! Well, the mechanisms here can basically reset the timelines or make a new one! It's only used for severe emergencies, like the one we are experiencing right now. It's like a Deus Ex Machina! How awesome is that?"

"But there should be consequences, right?"

"Well, that depends. With the whole dimension gone, there is probably nothing to worry about, supposedly. Using the so-called 'Deus Ex Machina' thingy can do some unexpected things that you won't expect though, but it won't do anything unless you act or focus on it, both physically and mentally. That's what you're here to do, make one wish!"

"Like a genie?"

"Kind of, but let's just call it as some sort of… uhm… 'restart' program. It's hard to develop technology like that, even in Antoinerei and Eruditio. Master Rooney told me that it's near-impossible to-"

"You met my dad?" Alucard asked, his eyes widening.

"Of course! He's my idol! I'd do anything to impress Master Rooney!" Diggie chirps, flying around happily in circles. "It's a shame he passed away, he was old and happy, he died of old age, living a happy life!"

"Wait… I thought he died in Malefic City."

"No, he died in Eruditio," the owl pressed. "Wait a minute… oh."

"What?"

"I think you may not know about this whole 'several dimensions' thing-"

"So you're from another Eruditio?"

"Pretty blonde girl did appoint me as caretaker of the ocean of time, but I really don't recall which Eruditio I'm from. Was it 59? This is 73, yes?"

"Okay, enough with all of that, so what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, you hold the tree branch, focus on what you want, and it will happen! You'll just wake up-"

At that moment on, Alucard yanks Diggie's clock off and clutches the branch with his two hands.

"HEY HEY HEY! What are you doing?!"

"What you said-"

Diggie grips the branch with his free wings and retrieves them back. "You don't even know around half of what this could do!"

"But you said-"

"Consequences!"

"But-"

"What if you could bring them back? Just think about it, dude!" Diggie halts. "Look, I know that you're meant to bring them all back by wishing on the clock, but… just think about it first… everything!"

Alucard scrunches his eyebrows. "What do you even mean?"

"Are you really sure that _everyone_ would like to live again?"

The hunter stopped in his tracks. Diggie asked the proper question. What if he did bring everyone back? What if he did restore Gaius back to normalcy? Would they like to live back in the Land of Dawn? How would they recall the encounters?

"Crap… you're right."

"Some of the soldiers there have wanted to die. Sure, we could wish that everyone who wants to live again are the only ones that can return, alongside the fact that we can revert back Gaius into the best place ever, but… how would they think about it? How would they feel? What if they loved being in the other life? What is the other life, even? It's not that easy, Alucard. If there was anyone else before me that had to guide the other strays that arrived here… they'd tell you the same thing! Just stop rushing and think about it. I know how much it means to you… but to them?"

"I know who they are, Diggie. They do not want to stay there, they want to live out their best lives!"

"Yes, we are aware, but how about Victor? How about every other civilian that wants to stay there with the ones that left them in the physical, existential plane? How can you even internalize all of that?"

"I have to try, Diggie."

"That's easy for you to say, but harder to do!"

"I know!" Alucard shouts. "All I have to do is to bring them back-"

"That's half the issue! What if you take literal concepts and emotions away? You can try and take away the Dark Lord and the demons out of the equation, but what will it do to the balance? Try and take away the Dark, and the Light swallows itself up. You can take away Andras without issue, but not evil itself. This is why I'm ranting everything, Alucard. You need to reconsider everything. What if you bring back the old villains from the Old War? What if you bring back the old guardians of the Labyrinth? What if you bring back every unborn children, every last person that have died in history? Think about it. If you can't control your perception, your focus, as you wish on the clock… what would happen?"

The hunter shakes his head. "For the Lords' sake, you're just complicating the issue-"

"It's complicated enough as it should be, Alucard… and believe me, I tried simplifying everything. I could guide you, but all of the thinking and wishing will be on you. Lunox has complete faith you can do it, but how, if every other person that could've been here were old men, ancient scholars, or some benevolent gods or something? Be careful what you wish for, Alucard. That's the simplest piece of advice. If you want, we can round up everything we need to fix, but we should avoid missing one bit, okay?"

"Okay, okay," Alucard answers, his hands sweaty and shaking. Diggie outstretches his wing and Alucard grips the branch with both of his hands, while the owl remained clutching on it to guide the hunter. "Okay, um… where to begin?"

"First off, the whole world, okay? We take away the black, icky corruption, and let interdimensional travel stuff allowed again! The ruins before the big fight stay as ruins, but the whole Land of Dawn becomes fully repaired. Alaghat, Korea, Makadan, Iga, Onmyouji, Eruditio, Nost Gal, the Angelic Plains, everything. That's easy. The demonic spawning points are gone. Keva Infernus and the Dreadmare Chest, gone. The Anantasheshan thingamajig and everything with the funny looking horses-"

"Centaurs."

"Something like that. And then, this existential plane, the ocean of time, links to other dimensions… Finally, the Genesys Gem's shards are now placed off randomly in different directions, so as to maintain balance and randomness. If you want, we can have the Moonlight Shard in the Land of Dawn."

"Sounds good," Alucard nods, breathing easily. "Nothing else?"

"Nope. Anyway, now that that's over, we need to round up the personnel. First is the Turtle on the oasis of the Wastelands. We have Harith, who was missing, right?"

"He died?"

"Probably, got caught and swallowed by the corruption somewhere, but he'll be back. We can't bring up some of the dead like the ones mentioned in Lunox' stories, as well as the guardians of the Labyrinth. We might not have a 100% efficiency rate on this, but we'll have to do it calmly to get the best chances."

"Okay… how about my friends, and everybody in the Land of Dawn?"

"Hmm… Toot toot! What if we just wish that everybody that chooses to be back will return? That way, they can decide, no need for unnecessary pulling out. Doesn't matter how small or big they are, or how numerous. The outcome won't hurt much, especially when we revert Gaius back in perfect, mint condition!"

"Okay, then how about the villains?"

"No more Andras, we can do that!" Diggie cheers. "However, we need to put some of the demons back. We can send them as far away as the Wastelands and deep into the sea. Alice, Zhask, and whoever they are, they are gone, but not the outside, external opposition, though. Do you agree?"

"We can take it."

"Okay… now, here's the tricky part, Alucard. What do you want them to remember?"

Alucard was confused. "Um, what do you mean?"

"Well, now that they're back and about, and ask what happened-"

"No, I won't do that," Alucard rejects. "I won't plant false memories, I won't take advantage of the open chance. I'm not that kind of person. We leave them be to think, and we won't force them to have a common perception. And besides… I think Estes and the other leaders can elaborate on that to them."

"Well… it's your choice, won't hold anything against you, dude," Diggie says. "We now have that covered… few things remain. You know that Kagura is pregnant, right? And the volatility of her and Hayabusa's souls?"

"Oh, snap… how do we-"

"I mean, when I watched the whole war unfold, I've been keeping track of her movements, and she actually had a miscarriage. She wasn't aware of it, surprisingly. We can let the two live with the miscarriage. It's not as if they cannot… like… um-"

"Don't worry, even I have trouble opening that topic up," Alucard smirks. "We must revert the soul energy's reaction's cause from physical contact to physical and mental activity, in which they can fully control. What else?"

"We have Roger's curse-"

"He's used to it, it's no longer a hassle for him. We'll just give him the same benefits like what we gave Hayabusa and Kagura. Oh, and it's best we remove the effects of the 'change'."

"Ah, the 'change'! Toot toot, only a few were affected by the phenomena. Zhao's outburst? Barely influenced by it. I'll deal with that part, since I know whom to fix."

"And Ruby's eye. She should get it back. Also Lesley's. Remove her PTSD- wait, scratch that. Remove everyone's unnecessary PTSD, but let bad emotions go through, so the balance and all of that can stabilize or something."

"Good thinking!"

"Aurora's arms, bring the human versions back. We can bring back Gord and Cyclops' communities, but it's up to them. Franco, Bane, Yi Sun Shin, Lapu, Gatot… I hope they will be fine. Y-You can do that, r-right?"

"Already did!"

"Moskov… he's the harbinger of Dark. In case the things are settled, I hope you can keep an eye on him."

"He's a good person, so we could barely doubt," Diggie responds. "Now, all the conditions are met… Hey, you okay?"

Alucard was zoning out, his eyes out of focus. "Oh, darn, s-sorry, I-"

"It's alright, I've set the conditions on the clock. All you need to do is visualize, okay? We have all the time in the universe… kind of."

"No, not that, I…"

Diggie tilts his head. "Your parents?"

"And Lunox. I… I haven't heard from them, even when I had to hold hands with everybody-"

"You know… I have to tell you this, but Master Rooney and his wife? They often visit or contact me, more ways than one!"

"R-Really?!"

"Yeah! They'd often check on how you were doing. They kind of knew about Lunox' plan… But they didn't want to interfere or anything. Master Rooney always told me… um… he told me that he'd always have faith in his little _lumos_ , and that he had nothing to worry about."

"He said that?"

"He also wanted to say sorry to you, personally. After all of the time you were walking on Gaius, he never saw you grow up close with him. Her wife is still happy, though. I believe they're waiting for you to bring everyone back."

"B-But…" Alucard stammers. "Do they want to get to Gaius again?"

Diggie frowns. "I think not… But hey, it's okay! They're kind of jealous. Hehe, you were so delighted with your friends on your side… I think we can't call them friends anymore, right?"

"Heh… I guess so… At least I know they're not forgetting me and Layla, and everything they've sacrificed for coming into good fruition… But… how about you, Diggie?"

"What about me?"

Alucard sighs. "I mean, we can bring back the ocean of time, but what will happen to you?"

"I'll reincarnate as an egg, as a new timeline, a new world, flourishes! And it's okay, for I know that the ocean of time will be calm and soothing, and I'd be resting on a cozy island with my home on it! And I would have pleasant dreams…"

"You're fine with it?"

"At least I have good dreams… but one of them seemed so puzzling…"

"Puzzling?"

Diggie lifts his head to the left, trying to recall. "It's this one vision, where I see this person, sitting on a stool, typing on a desktop or something. The scene varies often. He would be on the bed, or on the car, typing something I cannot understand, but it's always the same person… As if something is happening… Anyway, we should get on with it. I'm tired of seeing white space! Are you ready?"

"Yeah, Diggie… thank you. Thank you for helping me."

"And thank you, dude, for saving everything. I owe you lots, so I give you an added 3 years of no conflict!"

"Psh, you didn't need to-"

"Oops, already did! Never mind that now, focus on the branch, okay?"

Diggie hands over the tree branch to Alucard, and the hunter grips them tightly, trying to calm his breathing.

"Okay, now, close your eyes, okay?" the owl says. "Listen to my words."

"Alright… Wait, how do you know this isn't just a dream?"

"I don't know… but can you believe me if I say this works?"

"Nothing else to believe in…"

"Okay... Listen carefully… imagine, the Land of Dawn, completely restored… Imagine you're in the grand hall of the citadel, and there are banquets there, an all-you-can-eat buffet, all of it!"

"Okay…" Alucard attempts to visualize the scenario, his mind slowly drifting…

"And you see Ruby, both of her eyes present, smiling at you as she runs to you with her arms out, and you see Bruno and Chou, waving at you with their drinks… you see Estes and the others enjoying and celebrating with the other heroes and soldiers. You see parades and cheerful children, with their parents without a hint of worry… as all of the bad things slowly… calmly… dissipates… as all of the pain becomes a hazy nightmare… replaced by a pleasant dream…

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 _ **CONSISTENCIES RESTORED TO 100%.**_

 _ **WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESUME THE PLAYBACK?**_

 _ **YES**_

 _ **COMMAND RECEIVED.**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 5…**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 4…**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 3…**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 2…**_

 _ **RESUMING SESSION IN 1…**_

"WHA!"

Alucard wakes up in a jolt, hyperventilating. The white blanket draped over him gets flown, slowly floating down to the floor. He clutches his torso, slightly panicking. There was no wound on him, and he was alright. He was wearing a black buttoned shirt with matching black pants. Alucard looks around the room he is in, and sees his red trench coat hanging within the open wardrobe with his gloves on the left pocket. He finds his greatsword, resting on the foot of the bed. It wasn't Testament, however, but rather, the one that Argus gave him. His combat boots were below the hanged trench coat

The hunter calmly puts his feet on the floor, which had balanced temperature. He inhales slowly before exhaling at the same pace, trying to grasp what occurred.

"Okay… okay…"

He notices a furnished, wooden desk near his bed. It had a small piece of paper with writing on it. Alucard picks it up and reads the note.

 _You've done it, Alucard. You earned your rest. Come down and join them. They're waiting for you._

 _-Lunox_

"Hmm… this is… disorienting…"

Alucard shrugs to himself and begins to wear his combat boots. He picks up his trench coat and puts it on, as well as the gloves. He notices that they are a pair instead of one glove.

"Wait…"

He checks his right arm. It was now a normal human arm. "Oh… yeah, I almost forgot… Agh, this is hard to take in."

He couldn't hear anything from outside, as there are no windows. All that's left is the door that he needs to exit out of. He gets up and grips the doorknob.

"Here goes nothing…"

Alucard opens up the door to find out that he was in one of the citadel's hallways on the second floor. He could hear rumbling and echoing sounds of laughter.

"You're already celebrating without me? How long was I even out?"

He briskly walks to the end of the hallway, meeting the staircase. The cheering and the bustling sounds of happy voice slowly intensified as Alucard went down the steps, trying to discern what was happening. He sees a bit of light as he grew near the source of the commotion. Alucard exits the staircase and was taken aback.

"Holy…"

The grand hall of the citadel was completely clean and looked brand new. As Diggie said, there were extremely long tables that were set on, draped over by shiny cloth and graced with various amounts of food and drink. Many soldiers and heroes were sitting and having fun, while the others were standing around, playing games.

Estes, Rafaela, Kaja, Uranus, Argus and Hylos were near the front ends of the table, conversing with each other as they took light sips (except Kaja and Uranus, of course). Akai, somewhat drunk, was trying to catch Cyclops, who was chugging on wine and was still not drunk. Hayabusa and Kagura were sitting on the chairs, laughing and joking at each other. Zhao and Moskov were having arm wrestling contests, with half of the other heroes watching them duke it out, already taking small bets.

"The heck, why aren't we moving?!"

Moskov snickers. "Let's just represent, man. C'mon!"

Alucard veers his vision to the other tables. Franco, Bane, Yi Sun Shin, Lapu-Lapu and Gatotkaca were telling each other stories, with members of their respective clans amazed by their tales. Aurora, Eudora and Gord were not drinking, however, but were still appreciating the joyous commotion. Harley, Nana, Miya, Gossen and Lesley were amongst the crowd that watched over Zhao and Moskov's duel. Alucard notices that Lesley no longer wore an eyepatch, and had two eyes.

"So it worked…"

Irithel and Karrie were sitting with their backs on the pillar, petting Leo, who fell asleep. Saber, Alpha and Johnson didn't talk much, but they were reviewing on who among the two spearmen would win in the arm wrestle. Alucard sees Roger drift apart from Ruby in order to watch the ongoing duel. Ruby simply sat, eating a piece of cake while drinking juice.

"R-Ruby!" Alucard slowly approaches the scene, trying to reach her. He awkwardly hides his face to prevent everyone from witnessing him. He was about to get closer to Ruby, but he slips on his footing as he was still recovering from his hazy thoughts. Alucard grunts, trying to get up.

"Woah, hey, are you okay?" Ruby began, noticing the person next to her tripping on the floor. "Are you alright? No concussion?"

"Argh… Ruby…"

"W-Wait… Alucard?"

The hunter looks up, brushing off the bread crumbs on his pants. "H-Hey… Ruby-"

She didn't let him finish as she embraced him tightly, her arms wrapped around his neck. "Oh… Oh… A-Alu… I… I thought-"

"H-Hey… I'm here now, I'm here now," Alucard comforts, hugging her in return. "It's okay… What… What happened?"

Ruby pulled away, wiping her tears of joy. "Don't you know? We won!"

"Yo, Ruby," Chou says, going closer to the group while awkwardly holding his cup of punch. "Where can you find more of this good stuff? Also, who is-"

"Chou," Alucard began.

The kung fu boy stops in his tracks and drops his glass of punch. It breaks as it hits the floor, echoing around the hall.

"NO. FREAKING. WAY!"

"Damn it, Chou, keep it down-"

It was too late. Everyone had their eyes focused on the source of the breaking glass. All of them began to notice Alucard's presence, and they barely reacted, standing still. The hunter was intimidated.

"Oh… um… hi?" He began, waving his hand shyly.

All that he could remember next was the erupting sound of yells and war cries resonating, to the point that it could be heard far away up to the ends of the restored kingdom.

"EVERYONE!" Argus began, shouting in a loud voice. "ALUCARD HAS RETURNED!"


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: The Story Ends…**

Despite repeated explanations from Ruby, Chou, Argus, Bruno, Saber, Zhao, and Freya, Alucard still needed to process everything that they just told him.

"Wait… hold on… so, you're telling me-"

"We're aware of Andras growing wide and all of what happened, Alu, but not after the supernova or whatever," Zhao pushes. "Not even Estes knows where things have been. Like we told you, after that blast, we just woke up and more than two-thirds of the entire population is back. Estes had to inspect the Ocular Sun to see if there are any other drastic changes, but nothing. The Land of Dawn is completely restored, and all of the other places are, too. The demonic activity has reduced back to the caverns and the Wastelands. Also important to note, there are a few people from kingdoms like Iga, Alaghat and Nost Gal that have been resurrected. There are people that had cancer that have no more cancer!"

"And how long was I out?"

"The feast is meant to be two weeks long, Alucard," Estes replied. "We had to shake off our shock for two days in order to recuperate our senses. When we found you, just like what Saber said, you were in the middle of the battlefield, completely unconscious. He said you would be experiencing a short coma, lasting around a week or so."

"No change of clothes? No dematerialization or anything?" Alucard asked. "No more Andras?"

"Andras' presence has diminished, yes," Argus said, relieved. "If we haven't completely destroyed his soul, then we still have most likely made him fade off. If this is the scenario, it will take him thousands of years to recollect, so we will not worry about it for now."

"And the ailments… Lesley has her eye back, right?"

"Mine, too," Ruby adds. "Alu, is there anything else that we should know?"

The hunter, dazed, looked around the commotion within the grand hall. He should be celebrating instead of pondering over what occurred, but he couldn't get the doubt off of his head. It's not as if he doesn't trust the solution that both he and Diggie tried…

"Sorry… I think I just-"

"It's okay, just sit down," Bruno says. "If you're asking, your mentor or something… he's not here."

"V-Victor?"

"We conducted attendance checks as soon as we cleared our heads, and a few segments of the army didn't come back. It's as if they chose not to…"

"Lancelot and Odette?"

"Oh, they chose to be here, just not here inside this place as we speak," Freya notes. "After their deaths… we really thought they wouldn't think twice about staying in the other life. We don't actually recall what we did there, which is odd. It's as if we just had our memories wiped, and here we are. No sort of explanation for everything that occurred."

"I suppose it's better that it's left unexplained," Saber says, his antennae whirring. "I still have some foreign files in my data banks that I have to sift through. Maybe it will give us some insight on everything that occurred after the final fight and before the 'reset'. We have to admit, this is still a rather awkward sort of feeling we've been experiencing in the past few days, especially when we've been growing nervous about you waking up again."

"Okay… how about Grock?"

"He's returned, but he's not yet here, for now," Ruby replies. "He said he was stretching his legs and crushing more insects."

"Ruby, how many times have we told Grock that there are no more demons?!" Zhao exclaims. "It's like the… what, 11th or 12th time?"

"We'll leave him be, at least we have some sort of first response if ever the enemy would return," Estes suggests. "After the long feast, we will have to discuss the new matters at hand. For the meantime, Alucard, it would be best if you try and relax as you come to your senses. It must've been difficult."

"True… Ah, Estes, you still have that speech you need to prepare after the talk here," Argus reminds, drinking a cup of wine. "Has every leader agreed?"

"Wholeheartedly. Aurora was the last, but it was mainly due to her kingdom being remote, so she had to reconsider for a while. We will have to undergo multiple sorts of reconstructions and renovations as soon as the feast is over. Faster and much more effective response time is needed in case of any global threat arriving."

"I doubt the feast will soon be over," Alucard joked, pointing at the mass of people. "Look at that! Balmond and Hilda are now the ones arm-wrestling, and no one is budging!"

"At least Minotaur didn't want to give us a challenge," Zhao shrugs, pointing at the hybrid that eagerly watched the spectacle. "Like, dude. If he challenged me for an arm wrestle, I'd be the one that's ground, not him!"

The group erupts into laughter due to Zhao's joke. It was interrupted by Estes' advisor, who hurriedly walked up to the elf.

"Sir?"

Estes recognized his advisor. "Ah… everyone, would you mind? I almost forgot…" He stands up and extends his arms. "Everyone, please, settle down!"

A few of the heroes heard Estes' command. Uranus arrives and breaks up the crowd that was already making huge bets. "Hey, psst! Estes has something to say."

"Yeah, we'll need more than Uranus to break the crowd. Hold on," Bruno says before putting his hands around his mouth, magnifying his voice. "HEEEEEEEYYYYY! SHUT UP! ESTES HAS A BOMBASTIC SPEECH TO TELL US TODAY!"

Ruby and Chou groans as Alucard, Freya, Zhao and Argus lightly snickers at Bruno's cries. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and stood up, looking directly at the king.

"Now… um, where was I? Oh, yes. Everyone… as all of you know right now, this has been a confusing turn of events. A sudden wave of victory hit us, and we doubted its authenticity. Now that we are here, celebrating and awaiting further confirmations, I would like to announce the genesis of a new alliance."

"New alliance?" Royce said, sipping his cup of beer and elbowing Delsin's arm. "You know about this, Dels?"

"No, but this is interesting. Let's shut up about it and hear what Estes has to say."

"So… as we have been recollecting and enjoying, I have been able to communicate once more to the Lords of Order, as well as the leaders of the smaller kingdoms. As we have been celebrating as one, I've thought deeply… And we are well aware that trouble has always given us hurdles in our welfare. Our hardships have ended, and it will be long before the Dark resurfaces, but the other worlds and dimensions will always be at risk of invasion and razing."

"What's this?" Alucard asked Freya, whispering. The Valkyrie shrugs, grinning.

"You'll just wait and listen."

"Because of this… I've proposed a solution. Millennia ago, we held several peace treaties all throughout, as well as elaborate protocols, but we have never united as one community. It is through these small weaknesses which led to our enemy making the first move and catching many of us off-guard. And now, I and the other leaders have agreed. Today, we are no longer separated. We will fight as one, and for each other! There are strength in numbers, and united, we will emerge victorious to see Gaius live to witness the sun rising from the horizon! Today, the Land of Dawn completely welcomes each and every one of you to a new era: The Moniyan Empire!"

"HOORAH!"

"FOR THE LIGHT!"

" **FOR THE LIGHT!"**

The guests and heroes that were within the grand halls cheered, raising their glasses (except for Franco, who literally just raised a plate of spicy chicken wings). In fact, there is not much to be said. Over the course of those two weeks of celebration, parades and musical performances were around the Land of Dawn. Many mourned for the losses, but they remained happy, knowing that their sacrifices were all worthwhile.

There were some interesting scenes, though, like Bane and Franco's drinking contest.

"Oi, Bane, you sure you good?" Franco asks, woozy himself, nearly losing his grip of his cup. "Bless my beard, this is some strong rum!"

"I, for one, wouldn't recommend this in drinking contests again, fat chap," Bane chuckles, setting down his pitcher. "Alright then, guess we call it a tie?" He lends his open hand to the Viking. "For the future."

"For the future, old man," Franco says, shaking his hand. "Hold up. OI, EVERYONE! FREE SAMPLES OF BANE'S RUM HERE! I'VE HAD MY FILL!"

"First time I've heard Franco say that," Gatotkaca says, talking to Lapu-Lapu. "Anyways… it won't be long before I go back to my own world. I may not return to the Land of Dawn."

"My tribe will prepare the return journey to Makadan Island. As pleasant as this kingdom is, it is still not home," the chieftain says. "At least… we've come to a truce."

"Heh, there's no breaking the truce when not one of them could break the freaking stalemate!" Akai barges, Cyclops sitting on his shoulder. "By the way, Cyclops would like to try the rum."

"What?! No!" Gatot says, trying to stop Akai. "He's still-"

"Relaaaaaax!" Cyclops interrupts, grabbing a whole pitcher of alcohol. "I got this! Cyclops has drunk worse!"

"Wait, where's my- WAIT!" Yi Sun Shin yelled. "DON'T-"

Cyclops snickers and chugs on the whole pitcher, the contents of the strong rum slowly disappearing. He continues drinking until the liquid becomes drained from the pitcher.

The mage lifts his eye and notices that everybody was staring at him nervously.

Lolita was stammering. "D-Did… did he just-"

"Yep," Alpha says. "Beta cannot process."

"Cyclops," Harley began, concerned. "A-Are… you alright?"

"He's a champion," Hilda says. "Absolute champion."

Suddenly, Cyclops covers his pants with his arms, his expression signaling stress. "Um… guys… I think I need to pee-"

Tigreal immediately hoisted Cyclops, pushing everyone away. "FIND THE NEAREST BATHROOM NOW!"

In response, every single hero and guest within the grand hall scrambled and opened the doors quickly in order for the knight to escort Cyclops.

 **TWO WEEKS LATER**

Bane, Franco, Yi Sun Shin, Lapu-Lapu and Gatot have already left the day before, travelling through the seas and air beyond the seas behind the Land of Dawn. It was now time for the others to leave as well, but a few have decided to stay in the kingdom's protection due to some circumstances. Harley, Gossen and Lesley have already departed with the help of Alpha, Bruno and Lolita's new technology concerning interdimensional travel. Balmond and his orcs have begun traversing the Wastelands once again, while Hilda and her tribes have decided to stay within the Land of Dawn for one more month to ensure extra security for Estes. Sun was also one of the first to leave, announcing that he would voluntarily guard the forests leading to the kingdom. Minotaur has begun to traverse back to the ruins of the Labyrinth, after hearing news that the maze was fully repaired, yet inactive.

"The Ocular Sun has tracked numerous people of interest scattered around Gaius, but we cannot exactly determine who they are." Estes reports to Alucard, Hylos, Kaja and Zhao. "As we commence the reclamation and renovation projects, a few will try and contact these people. It's highly unlikely that the global reset has caused unnecessary revival of old foes and potential allies, but we will take every necessary precaution to prevent possible attack.

"Are they on the move?" Kaja asked.

"A few have begun travelling in different directions, but not headed towards the Land of Dawn. We have Grock as one of our scouts. As soon as he finishes escorting Lancelot and Odette back to the Palace of Swan, he will seek out our targets. The protodrake hasn't been too confident in flying outside the kingdom's walls ever since it reappeared spontaneously a few days ago. It's best we take this joint operation slow. Aurora has also departed as well, and she is finding more suitable methods of interconnected contact and response in case of emergency. How about you, Saber? Is it done?"

"I will commence the Prophet Protocol soon, Estes. Alpha and Johnson have set my trajectories and prepped my equipment. All memory banks to be shared are tightly secured and ready for deployment."

"Good… you can all leave now, while I attend to my own personal needs."

"Sure… farewell, Estes," Kaja says, putting his hand over his chest. "It's been a pleasure fighting for the Land of Dawn."

"Thank you, my friend… We've saved Gaius once more."

Meanwhile…

"Argus!"

The angel turns around, seeing Freya running up towards him. "Freya."

"You're leaving already? You didn't say goodbye-"

"I already have, to Alucard and Estes, as well as the others. I'm merely waiting for Kaja, Uranus and Rafaela to activate the warp back to the Plains. Shouldn't have you joined with Franco and the rest?"

"I'm staying, I've been wanting to take a break."

"I see…" Argus nods, his face hidden by his helmet. "Freya… about-"

"It's a stupid thing to think, really," the Valkyrie interrupts, slightly blushing. "You don't need to-"

Argus stops her words by embracing her. Freya yelped due to the sudden interaction. "A-Argus?!"

"The seraphim cannot have distinct relationships, Freya. You need to know that. That may not be what you meant to deliver, but… All I can say is, thank you, for believing in me when no one else did. It would've been a different world without you."

"Oh… um… can you let me go, now?"

"Ah, sorry, sorry." Argus lets go and sees Rafaela and Kaja conversing as they drew near. "That's my cue."

"Are you ready to come back home, Argus?" Kaja asks, enthusiastic. "You know, a few of the angels there miss you."

"I've had weeks to prepare my emotions for it, Kaja, no need to worry too much about me."

"I bet you missed the warp," Uranus says, charging his energy. "Whenever you are ready."

The four celestials stood tightly in a circle, and Argus strikes Caelesti Igni to the ground, initiating the warp. Freya smiles.

"I'm going to find a way to visit you!" She says, waving.

Argus smirks. "Best of luck trying to find me, then! Until we meet again, Freya!"

A pillar of light envelops the group, exhaling gentle breezes. The brightness of the pillar makes Rafaela, Kaja, Argus and Uranus indiscernible as the warp begins to die out, and they were now gone. The pillar of light has left a miniscule trace as bits of dust and ash was slowly picked up by the winds.

"Sigh… So long…"

"He's leaving too soon?"

Freya turns to see Miya, her original appearance reverted back ever since the reset. "I thought you were with Zhao."

"I helped Karina round up the few missing personnel. It was tedious. It seems you're staying with us, then?"

"So is Yun. This is supposed to be his last mission, right?"

Miya nods. "After that, he's free. He can do what he wants, so he's staying here with the others. He feels comfortable that way. Oh, and if you're asking, Eudora, Gord and Cyclops have now left. Their own groups have been revived due to the reset."

"Hmm… it's still an odd feeling," the Valkyrie halfheartedly says. "Where's Alucard?"

"He's taking a bit of fresh air, near the small, wooden pier. A few of the other heroes are going to watch the sunset. Would you like to go?"

"Sure. I'd like to see the horizon again…"

Meanwhile…

"Alucard."

The hunter turns to Saber. They were standing on the foot of the long staircase towards the entrance of the citadel, awaiting to initiate the Prophet Protocol.

"Alucard… I've found out about the different memory banks that I had when I came back from the global reset."

"What?" Alucard reacts, puzzled. "What were they, Saber?"

"Everything."

"E-Everything? What do you-"

"Every form of record on every person of interest here, of every landmark, of every event… everything. It's constantly updating, even in the duplicate hard drives that I am going to distribute. It has information about the whole of Gaius, and its whole history. It has all of the data concerning all of us… all of the specifics. Alucard, it even has footage of our fight against Andras! The amount of data is immense, and it would take me days to sift through and connect all of the dots. Some are heavily encrypted. They're spreading in a sort of language that I can read, but don't know how to speak…"

Alucard pondered. "I think it's Lunox' idea, you know? Let everything be known. The other dimensions should acknowledge everything if they want to be completely aware of what occurred here. Though… I doubt they'll even understand what's in those banks."

"Only fair, I assume… If you do meet the goddess again, you would need to ask her about it."

"Maybe I don't need to. After all, her plan worked despite it being vague for all of us. Maybe she's gone now… I don't know. I'll try and keep you posted."

The cyborg nods before outstretching the frames of his wings, the twelve feather-like swords charged with Malefic and Noumenon energy. Saber looked up to the sky, preparing for liftoff.

"You're one of the most human A.I. to ever exist, Saber," Alucard said proudly. "May we brave the rising storm."

"And may our untold story be known!"

Saber skyrockets, immediately reaching Mach speeds before exiting the atmosphere. Alucard brushes away the smoke.

" _For Saber to have that kind of information… What would the other worlds even think of it?"_

Meanwhile…

"So, it's been like, long since I've ever been to the beach, you know that?"

"It's been like… what, a decade?" Chou asks Bruno. "I mean, we were still kids back then."

"Yeah, and we were swimming around the waters and just get doused by the waves without mercy," Lolita laughs, brushing a lock of her hair with her fingers. "I didn't think I'd get to breathe easily again."

"True! To be honest, I should've brought a picnic blanket or something…"

"I got a few!"

Bruno, Lolita and Chou turns around to see Layla, Clint and Fanny riding within Johnson with Alpha overhead. The latter jumps off of Beta as the trio within the car exits with picnic baskets and long cloths.

"You were literally prepared for the occasion," Lolita remarks, impressed.

"You can never go wrong with the view," Clint replies. "C'mon, is there anyone else we are waiting for?"

"Zhao, Miya, Karina, Freya, Hayabusa, Kagura… yeah, I think they're all there by the slope of the beach. All that's left is Alucard and Ruby. Ruby's still bidding farewell with Roger, as he and Yinsen will lead the new Demon Hunter clan," Fanny adds. "C'mon, we don't want to be late."

The new group begins to climb up the grassy slope, and the loam slowly morphs into white sand as they near.

"Damn, look at that!" Chou says, pointing at the horizon. A large, yellow sphere began to fall down towards the horizon, streaks of purple, red-orange and yellow marking the blue sky. A small pier stood on the shore, the supports slowly being bathed by the gentle waves of the sea. "Sun's starting to set, let's go."

"Guys, wait up!"

Alucard ran up to the group, nearly stumbling on his feet. "G-Guys… Whooo! I thought I wouldn't make it."

"Us too, buddy!" Bruno says, lightly embracing his friend. "So, like the view?"

"It will be better… Wait… Hold on, is that…"

The group becomes confused by Alucard's words. Layla moved closer to her half-brother. "What, Alu? It's just Zhao and a few others-"

"No, no, no, not that… Who's that on the pier?"

"Alucard, there's no one on the- Wait, yeah, you're right, who is that?"

"Let me inspect," Alpha volunteers, reconfiguring the visual settings on his visor. "It's a girl… Yellow hair, a bit of black on one of the locks, and she has some off-putting wings-"

"Crap, better run!" Alucard mutters, pushing off Alpha. "Sorry!"

"Wait, hey! Where are you going?" Johnson asked.

"LUNOX! WAIT!"

"Did he just say, 'Lunox'?" Fanny asked, her eyes widening. "That's serious."

"Darn, then we better follow him!"

Alucard ran down the sand, never minding the waving arms of Hayabusa and his friends.

"HEY, ALU!" Akai began, running towards him. "I GOT SOME RAMEN-"

"NO TIME, AKAI!" the hunter yells. "LUNOX! LUNOX!"

"Wait, Lunox?!" Freya said, springing into action. She squints her eyes at the end of the wooden pier, which was Alucard's destination. Lunox' silhouette was there. "IT'S LUNOX!"

"Ah, damn, here we go again!"

Alucard ran as fast as he could, his boots striking the wooden boards of the pier he was traversing on. Lunox' back was turned to him as she gazed off into the open sea.

"L-Lunox… Lunox! Is it… Is it you?"

The Twilight Goddess didn't answer. She remained motionless. She didn't possess a cyan overlay anymore, signifying that Lunox was in good condition. There were no more glowing spheres tucked on her wings, showing that the Light and Dark was no longer clashing.

"Lunox… Lunox," Alucard urged. "Please, talk to me-"

"I can hear you well enough," she abruptly replies, cheerful. She turns towards the hunter, a weak smile on her face as a gentle breeze began to pick up. "How did you like how everything turned out?"

"I… I could barely process at first, but everything started to click into place."

Lunox giggles. "It was the only plan… But it could've been the best one I've ever made… yet. Now you know of Diggie and his role… And of the possibilities that can become reality."

"It's been a wild ride, ever since the reset. Ever since I woke up… I was afraid that you'd be gone… that you'd have left us be."

"Hm? Why is that?"

"Without you… we may not have known what to do. You were like… our deciding factor."

"I won't be gone, Alucard. Sooner or later, we will no longer talk to each other, and I may be conversing with someone new… Someone else that you and your friends would have to guide. Sigh… There are threats, everywhere you go, but our hearts should always remain filled with ardor, and you, Child of the Fall, have proven that to Andras."

"Wait…" Alucard halts. "W-What about-"

"He's gone. Non-existent. His presence has completely died out. Estes hasn't cleared the whole of Gaius, hence the doubts."

"But what if-"

"The Dark Lord is gone, Alucard. There is no more major threat present in this world you reside. But the concepts of evil remain, keeping the balance. It's necessary. Some worlds are lucky enough that balance isn't what keeps their world alive. Some are unluckier, knowing that the earth they step on is much more fragile than it should. It's up to you and your companions to decide what's best for this world. You've saved Gaius… and I am eternally proud, Hunter."

The hunter nods, content. "I… I agree."

Lunox turns back to see the sun, slowly sinking into the line that separates the air and sea. "Do you know… how long I've waited to see this beautiful work of nature? All my life… this is the first time."

"Alucard!"

"Ruby?" Alucard turns to see her running towards him, clutching her cape. "Hey, you good?"

"Yeah, why were you there?"

"Oh, she was- wait."

Alucard was shocked to see that there was no one in front of him. Lunox was not present anymore. She completely vanished.

"Every damn time," Alucard grumbles. "Seriously, like… She's just, POOF! And now, she's gone. It's like, 'now you see me, now you don't' kind of stuff, it's insane!"

Ruby laughs, holding onto Alucard's right arm. "I hope I can relate… I know it's weird… but I kind of miss your old arm."

"Yeah, me too… I almost feel like I can't wield my greatsword anymore without it," the hunter replies. "I mean, my powers are still present, and it's more on the cosmic side instead of the demonic side, so… win-win."

Ruby smiles and steps in front of Alucard before leaning her back onto his chest. Alucard slowly wraps his arms around her as the sun sets calmly, the winds forcing their clothes to flow on the air.

"So many things… all that's led to this. I'd say that this is the most rewarding moment of my life," Alucard told Ruby. "All of the pain… it's worth it. It's not going to last forever, but at least, we know the truth."

"It has set us free," she finalizes. Ruby then turns to face him and wraps her arms around his neck, their breaths mixing. Alucard stares into Ruby's green eyes, completely mesmerized. The other heroes were watching by the other end of the pier, swooning like crazy.

"I bet they're going to do the forbidden stuff tonight."

Lolita slaps Bruno lightly on his cheek. "Seriously? Everything you can bet on, you bet on that?"

The whole group laughs as the Protector snickers to himself. Ruby watched the scene over Alucard's shoulder and lightly giggles.

"They're waiting," Alucard says, with a funny expression on his face.

"They're so eager for it…"

The hunter sighs as the yellow sphere sinks into the sea, and for the first time in his life, he felt total relief.

"How can I ever get used to things like these?"

Ruby looked into his eyes, completely glad. "The answer? Never." She pulled his face to hers.

 _ **YOU HAVE NOW REACHED THE END OF THE SESSION. WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXIT?**_

 _ **YES**_

 _ **EXITING SESSION IN 5…**_

 _ **EXITING SESSION IN 4…**_

 _ **EXITING SESSION IN 3…**_

 _ **EXITING SESSION IN 2…**_

 _ **EXITING SESSION IN 1…**_

 _ **ALERT! NEW FILES HAVE APPEARED! WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCESS THEM?**_

 _ **YES**_

 _ **BEGINNING PLAYBACK.**_

 _ **Opening Audio Log #1…**_

" _It's been a few days ever since the initial launch into deep space. Reserves will help me last for years on end. I have the sufficient research needed in order to make the appropriate jumps into the other dimensions._

 _Currently, we are at Dimension 73, thousands of miles above Gaius' atmosphere. I have been rounding up the new data that I have been receiving, only to discover that they are being organized by their lonesome in a neat fashion rivalling mine._

 _Despite all circumstances, I will begin the jumps from D73 to D67, the closest and safest destination from D73. It is important to note that during our research within Gaius, we've discovered that the dimensions are rather clustered and spread out randomly, and the whole group of dimensions is what we consider the universe. However, the pocket dimensions that Alucard had traversed during the battle against Andras could not be found. Either way, I will gather more data in order to sort this meticulous puzzle. Godspeed."_

 _ **Audio Log #1 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Audio Log #4…**_

" _I have documented Dimension 15, which is one of the places that Harley came from. It is desolate here. There is plant life, there are land formations, there are seas… but nothing. No animals, no humans. I could barely get a signal unless I would scale over the mountainous regions. It's like a lonely, carbon copy of Gaius._

 _Another bizarre thing to note is the presence of a humongous Leviathan. It is around one-fourth the surface area of the whole planet, and is covering up both the earth and sky. It doesn't seem to feed, and is extremely docile, as if it is drifting as it sleeps. I now know the cause of these land formations. Another puzzling phenomenon is that the plant life that gets crushed by the entity's body seems to spring back up, barely affected, as if the rejuvenation of these still organisms were amplified until they are back to what they once were._

 _After cross-referencing the information I obtained from D67, it's safe to hypothesize that the planet Gaius in the other dimensions have close reference and relation to D73. D15 referenced the Leviathan and the global reset. D67 was a rather awkward jumbling of roles, wherein Bane and Franco remained enemies and Balmond was against the Moniyan Empire. There were small, brewing wars there, too, along with a different timeline of events._

 _I will have to search around more. I will be initiating the next jump as soon as the Leviathan's body crosses over my coordinates. Even with it on the other side of the planet, it will be difficult to maneuver."_

 _ **Audio Log #4 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Audio Log #19…**_

" _I have used half of the possible jumps. I hope I can drop the memory bank somewhere…_

 _Currently within D82. I also noticed that the audio logs that I have been recording are also being saved through anomalous algorithms within the memory banks that I plan to distribute. It's saved me some time, and I am becoming grateful._

 _Anyway, D82 doesn't seem to have Gaius, but rather, a wide interstellar space, matted by millions of shining stars and dozens of galaxies. Alpha would love to be here. The constellations are easy to spot too, but my readings have indicated that there are actual life forces within these constellations… actual people serving as effigies. I've seen the Taurus constellation with Minotaur's silhouette, roaring at the other stars. Are they at war? I wouldn't want to find out._

 _There are no other structures around this place… time to deploy and make the next jump."_

 _ **Audio Log #19 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Audio Log #21…**_

" _I will soon be recording a message that will welcome whoever stumbles upon the drives and unlocks the information. The message will be updated within the drives I've already deployed, so I have nothing to worry about._

 _I've also noticed something profound and terrifying… there are much more universes out there._

 _I am in deep space, with stars and planets revolving around… And I am baffled by what I discovered. Our universe is just among thousands before it, and thousands after. Just imagine what they hold, imagine the concepts that have flourished._

 _I believe it's only fair that I give this universe a distinct identity… a number. I'm just not sure what. I could pick a random number, Alpha and Johnson wouldn't mind…_

 _Eureka._

 _Forevermore… this is Universe 515._

 _ **Audio Log #21 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Audio Log #33…**_

" _Got wedged into a battle within D46… good thing I made it out alive. I am suffering from moderate battle damage, but it's good that I have found Master Rooney within this dimension. He is currently initiating my repairs._

 _This is the most relaxing version of Gaius. Sure, the presence of the seventy-two demons made me panic, not going to lie. However, they are allied with Estes and the Land of Dawn. I've seen many of Andras' brothers, and they haven't harmed anyone. I have yet to see himself, though. I doubt I will have the time._

 _Another thing to note here is that none of the heroes seems to exist. There a few angels and Vikings and orcs… but none of the heroes in D73. Puzzling. I have now given the memory drive to Master Rooney, but I will have two less available jumps that I can make._

 _There is new data I've received. Time runs differently in every dimension I travel due to discrepancies in the continuum. If this is so… then one year in D46 would be around two hours elapsing on D73. I can rest here for now. I have stopped counting the amount of days… I think I've been away for a year, give or take. This is if you add the space-time continuum discrepancies…_

 _Better hurry._

 _ **Audio Log #33 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Audio Log #40…**_

" _Damn it!_

 _I… I was too close to dying… whatever happens, don't you dare go to D53! Trust my warnings, do not go to D53! The henchmen of the Abyss… they're running rampant there. The whole place is basically the outcome if we failed to save Gaius back in D73. The sky is scarlet and dark, and the whole world is hell itself… I couldn't catch a glimpse of the heroes… but I saw a new face… I couldn't register the identity. He rules over the others, but it's not Andras nor his brothers…_

 _There are so many villains there that Lunox narrated back to Alucard… One of them is Thamuz. Leomord is also there… I need to make a jump now. I only have two jumps left due to the damage in my suit, and only one memory bank that I can deploy. I was supposed to save it for D53…_

 _Time to go to Dimension 1!"_

 _ **Audio Log #40 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Audio Log #41…**_

" _Dimension 1… this is the most unique version of Gaius. A modern world… but fragile, with primitive offense and defense compared to the ones I have visited. But this is the perfect opportunity._

 _I am hiding in one of the alleyways… The streets of the urban city I am in are flooded with workers and employees in business suits… It looks good, but there are bad sides to this planet… And a religious individual in this place named it 'Gaia' instead of Gaius… Mother Earth._

 _Landmass position is also different. Bits of pollution everywhere. Looks clean, but not entirely clean… A civilization doomed to fall in the next few hundred years. I guess that going out in the open will cause major panic._

 _There's nowhere else to put it… Cloaking technology severed. Only the dump will do._

 _Please… Anyone who stumbles upon this… I have faith that you know what to do._

 _Make us known._

 _This is Saber, of Dimension 73… departing back home!"_

 _ **Audio Log #41 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Surveillance Log #1…**_

" _Argh… I'm sick and tired of taking away the trash… Useless, crappy place. District's a bad place to live. At least the neighbors aren't noisy."_

" _Once again, throwing away a box of pizza. Must be fun talking to myself every so often, eh, Zachary? Must be-"_

" _Wait… hold on... Hard drive within the can? Hmm… This looks good. Durable, stainless steel. Hella thick, too. Must be something in it. Better need to check. Could be my lucky day."_

 _ **Surveillance Log #1 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Surveillance Log #3…**_

" _This is a magnificent find, Zachary. How did you come across it?"_

" _It was all about chance, sir. I… I really didn't expect that someone like me would find it. Who on earth would place it in a garbage bin?"_

" _And yet, you found it. And please, enough with all the 'sir'. Salazar would be fine."_

" _Thank you, si- I mean, Salazar. Um, why did you ask for my being here?"_

" _You see, we have scoured, well,_ it. _What we found would help us make a suitable product that will benefit us greatly, and will help us gain a lot of supporters for this project. However, in the deepest part of_ it, _there's this one bit that's highly encrypted by lots of gibberish symbols. None from our department could decrypt these files, much more translate it."_

" _I have seen it myself, Salazar. It is stubborn, but I was able to get a pattern that showed the actual, well, information."_

" _It all has the same information that we have discovered. Are you sure you can't find anything else that will help us out in decrypting this?"_

" _Not in my eyes."_

" _Then, it is urgent that we find someone that can-"_

" _Sir, the tech department and logistics team need help. They cannot contain the anomaly."_

" _How many blowbacks have occurred today?"_

" _Four, sir. The probability of the event occurring again rises every day. If this keeps up, we won't be able to sustain the blowbacks."_

" _It is important we find someone now, kid. If we don't, everything will backfire."_

" _I am on it."_

 _ **Opening Surveillance Log #10…**_

" _Hahahaha, we're going to be rich, Zachary! Hah! Your treasure is a miracle!"_

" _It sure is. 'Mobile Legends: Bang Bang' has been racking up a lot of income! There are, of course, the risk of lawsuits, though our source is original, Salazar. I… I don't know-"_

" _Relax, Zachary. My team has got this. After all, you're the head officer of inspecting the hard drive we have, and it's our priority to keep it safe. I am also intrigued… there are many characters that have some uncanny resemblance to other franchises."_

" _You've heard the logs, Salazar. Saber said that there were some sort of relative referencing on these so-called alternate dimensions. Any way we can travel-"_

" _No, let's not think about it. I am conflicted myself in trying to believe if this information is true or not. We don't have enough story and lore to extract from the heroes. You did mention the fact that the files were heavily disrupted due to technical and algorithm-based difficulties."_

" _It's too risky exposing this to the military."_

" _By the way… how about the plan? Have you found a suitable candidate?"_

" _Around ten or so left, says the tech team. One particular user is wrecking the competition. He might be the person to help us decrypt the last file."_

" _Any username?"_

" _Yeah… 'Arcturus420'."_

 _ **Surveillance Log #10 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Surveillance Log #12…**_

" _I cannot believe what I am seeing right now! These glyphs… they aren't just meaningless symbols! It's like our own damn 26-letter English alphabet! Just look at the arrangements! You can see this curvy symbol with the moon on the top… that's the letter 'I'! But something is odd here."_

" _I will have to start from scratch and create an algorithm that will help translate these corrupted and encrypted files. I'll have to see this through. But… I have to keep this thing a secret. I am making this transmission just in case someone picks it up."_

" _The Moonton employees that sent me this must be desperate in trying to learn what this thing is. For now, I'll be busy. This is Arcturus420 with a case to solve."_

 _ **Surveillance Log #12 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Surveillance Log #17…**_

" _Jesus… these files…"_

" _I have to admit, the order of the fixing of these files seem to be incoherent. I am able to contact the head officer of this project, username 'ZachAria'. He tells me that this was part of some huge, self-updating memory bank he found in some trash can. I don't know if he's joking or not."_

" _Anyway… from the looks of things… this is more than just some Word Document file. Heck, how come are there Word Document files in other dimensions?! Does the source drive evolve to fit the schematics? That's the only possible explanation… Wait…"_

" _Oh, this is awesome! There is actual footage of the events?! Damn, Grock looks beast! Wait, wait, wait… hold on… OH, SNAP! ALUCARD WITH THE FISSION WAVE-"_

" _I think I should stop before I spoil myself… this is more than just some hidden secret… it's a story! A classic tale of plot twists and badassery! I mean, some events here don't seem to correlate with the in-game backgrounds…"_

" _That's it, I have to report it now."_

 _ **Surveillance Log #17 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Surveillance Log #24…**_

" _We came up with something."_

" _We're not going to just abruptly change the backgrounds. There are secrets that have to remain secret. Sure, the probability of being invaded by demons from other worlds is extremely low, but what we are possessing is concrete proof. Who knows which worlds has these?! The data keeps self-updating and continuously evolving the more I clean off the corrupted and encrypted bits. It's insane…"_

" _So, here is the plan. 'ZachAria' told me that the narrative files still need to be disclosed to the public… but how? They'd think that this is some sort of child's wild imagination, some petty, rebellious joke against Moonton's story-telling or something. I wouldn't be surprised if someone said that this is just some cheesy FanFiction-"_

" _Wait… AHA! Okay, okay, okay, everyone… Something magical and awesome is happening! Hold on for a minute, let me contact…"_

" _Hey, um… so, I have this idea. We're gonna post this thing in some FanFiction site."_

" _Yeah, I know, it sounds absurd… but what better option we have? Many people believe the in-game files and data, only a few will be hooked on a 'made-up' story."_

" _Your boss agrees? Hmm… so, it's a go, then?"_

" _Nice… Hey, you do know I need some sort of income for this, right?"_

 _ **Surveillance Log #24 Ended.**_

 _ **Opening Surveillance Log #25…**_

" _This is it."_

" _I picked the simplest. FanFiction. Dot. Net. Not WattPad, not WebNovel, nothing else for now. FanFiction Dot Net. This is a good place to start. I'll just have to wait for the files to get cleaned out, and I'll try to wedge in as much as I can, as seriously and as humorously as I can."_

" _Not much of a writer… but this would be a good start. Will help me in case of any thesis or some goddamn dissertation…"_

" _I need to give the story a name, though. Just not sure what…"_

" _Wait… these files are here for a reason. They're meant to be shared. Saber was desperately trying to spread what happened in their dimension… D73. The files aren't finished cleaning, I'm barely even a third done… But he wouldn't come all this way and drop an intriguing mass of data out of nowhere. It's sheer luck that 'ZachAria' found the hard drive, and it's only fitting that I do what Saber wants."_

" _They said… 'Make the untold story known'. Well, it's easier than it should be. Now, time to type and estimate how much I can input in the FanFiction site."_

" _And first of all… the basics. All good stories begin and end with their title. The title means something… And the title for this tale means everything to the heroes of D73… and to whatever they did to save us from the Dark."_

"' _Mobile Legends: The Untold Story'. So it begins…"_

" _Don't worry, everyone... To Alucard, Chou, Saber, Estes, Hayabusa, Freya, Argus... Whoever hero and heroine it may be... I'll do what must be done!"_

 _ **Surveillance Log #25 Ended.**_

 _ **A MESSAGE HAS ARRIVED IN YOUR INBOX. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCESS IT?**_

 _ **YES**_

 _ **ACCESSING TEXT FILE.**_

Now… Dear Reader… now you know everything.

The truth has set you free.


	32. Epilogue

**Epilogue: …As Another Begins**

 _ **Opening Extraneous Log #1…**_

He walks through the hallway, back into his apartment unit, fishing out his keys as he takes off his raincoat and puts it on his shoulder, droplets of water hitting his jacket. He doesn't bother taking off his cap nor shades as he continues.

" _You will need to take your medicine in an hour."_

"Thanks for the reminder, SAAI… The police had been less strict about their security check-ups. Didn't check too much when they looked into my ID."

" _The district we visited had less serious cops on the field right now, due to the rotations. The scanners were about to get a whiff of the concealments we put, but they discarded the ID too early."_

"Then, we'll still have to pray that it stays that way. The food back in Rosetta's got better… Steak was no longer shit." The man said, inserting one of the keys into the doorknob's slit. "Seasoning is evenly put, too."

" _They fired one of the old chefs because he was stubborn enough to avoid her recipe. The new chef is more talented, but will need more practice."_

"Sounds about right." He pulls the key out and twists the knob, only to find out that he locked the door again. "SAAI… didn't we leave this place locked?" He inserts the key again, fiddling with the locked door.

"Yes, we locked the door. I have not seen any hostiles inside the house. No advanced concealments around." Once again, the man grips the knob with his gloved hands, breathing through his air mask.

"Funny… I hope no one got in."

He doesn't switch on the lights as he enters, pulling the gloves out of his hands and setting them to the adjacent desk, filled with newspapers and magazines. They were organized, but in a rough, random manner. The man curses, thinking that he should've done that when he had the chance. He reaches for the lamp on the wooden desk.

"Six years."

The man stops, looking around in the dark for the warped, synthesized voice. He closes the door behind him, slowly creaking as it closes. "Who's there?"

"A year, you've written, and six years, you've hidden. I am impressed… you're a difficult person to find, Arcturus."

Arcturus sees the glow of yellow-orange lines on the other side of the apartment block he was in, a faint silhouette of the figure next to the rocking chair.

"How did you-"

"Wiping yourself off of the grid, basic identity concealment, connections within other cities and districts… But a pattern always shows. The people looking for you, hunting you down, the communities protecting you by impersonating your being… They don't see it, but I do."

" _Arcturus… I can't recognize this person in the databases… Oh, shit! I think there's a match,"_ SAAI says, relaying the information within the HUD of Arcturus' glasses, where the artificial intelligence resides.

"W-What do you want?" he asks, pulling out his Glock. "Who are you, and how did you get in here?"

"Have you forgotten? If anyone else have heard me, they'd already recognize me… But it must have been the painkillers and medicine for your bone cancer. Do you still recall the hymns of Lindsey Stirling's violin? Have you reminisced upon the glory days of Moonton?"

" _Arc… that's… that's…"_

Arcturus points his gun to the glowing slits, his arms slightly trembling. He couldn't believe that he was speaking to him, in the metal. "S-Saber?"

"Now, it hit you. The protocol is a success, and it is relieving that it is, now that a new threat looms, Arcturus, seeking to destroy us."

The main light on the ceiling activates, illuminating the whole space. Saber was around three meters in front of Arcturus, equipped with his modified Monsoon armor. His headpiece looked at Arcturus blankly. The curtains were drawn, preventing anyone from seeing through the windows.

"Saber… what is it?"

" _Arcturus… this is the Saber from D73. He's probably here for the drive!"_

"Is the hard drive with you?" Saber approaches, but Arcturus flicks the gun's safety mode off.

"TELL ME… what is it?" he asks desperately. "The whole drive is injected within SAAI, I can plug him into my laptop, but you need to tell me what's wrong! What's happening to Gaius?!"

"D73 is safe."

"But why here, out of all places?! Is anyone with you?"

"More will arrive to Gaia soon to defend you. You're the asset we need to recover."

"W-Wait… asset?" Arcturus asks, confused. He lowers the gun and flicks the safety back on. "I'm going to die soon enough… why try and save me?"

"Good question, Writer of Dawn," the cyborg replies. "It's because you and your planet has made the most contribution for the Prophet Protocol… and now… the Abyss is coming for your head."

 _ **Extraneous Log #1 Ended.**_

 _ **1 NEW FILE HAS APPEARED WITHIN YOUR INBOX. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCESS IT?**_

 _ **DISABLING MEMETIC KILL AGENTS…**_

 _ **DISABLING IDENTITY SCANNERS…**_

 _ **Opening ************.txt…**_

 **THEY**

 **WILL**

 **RETURN.**


End file.
